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Brave Daniel's lasting legacy
A BRAVE teenager who lost his battle with cancer has left a lasting legacy for disabled footballers in South Tyneside.
Among the thousands of pounds Daniel Squires left in his will to charities around the region, he bequeathed 3,741 to South Tyneside Football Trust to help out its wheelchair and disabled football teams.
The money will go towards funding a new mini-bus, which trust manager Alan Millward will name after Daniel, whose courageous fight against bone cancer touched the hearts of people across South Tyneside
The 16-year-old had dreams of becoming a football coach, before terminal cancer cruelly ended his dreams last month.
Even after Daniel lost a leg to bone cancer, he spent much of his time coaching the wheelchair football team at Monkton Stadium in Jarrow.
And Daniel, of Hazel Street, Jarrow, was about to start his coaching badges before he had a relapse earlier this year.
Mr Millward, from Hedworthfield, Jarrow, said: "What Daniel has done is absolutely brilliant. He used to be at the stadium all the time, coaching the wheelchair football team – they all loved him.
"This money is a huge boost for us. It will enable us to fund a mini-bus, which we desperately need to transport the teams to matches to allow them to play more regularly.
"Daniel wanted to manage the teams, and he was a great coach. All the kids looked up to him, and they will be eternally grateful to him for what they have done for them. His memory will never be forgotten."
Last year, the wheelchair football team were unable to fulfil one fixture in the National Wheelchair Football League because they had no transport.
But thanks to Daniel, and a 10,000 donation from the Clothworkers' Foundation in London, along with help from the Variety Club, the teams will be able to travel around the country playing games and tournaments.
Friends and family rallied round to raise 20,000 for an artificial leg for Daniel, whose death in early July devastated his mum Becky Robinson, father Mark, 36, brother Jack, seven, sister Lois, 15, and his many friends throughout South Tyneside.
Although being confined to a wheelchair after a recent stroke left him partially paralysed, Daniel, whose funeral attracted rocker Pete Doherty and hundreds of other mourners, spent his final days socialising with friends.
South Tyneside Football Trust needs to raise a further 500 to fund the minibus, so Lynn Doughty, who, along with Steve Youngman, led the fundraising efforts for Daniel, has organised a charity fancy dress walk at 11am tomorrow morning from Souter Lighthouse in Whitburn to Little Haven in South Shields.
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Weather for South Shields
Friday 10 February 2012
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