A PEEBLES family were delighted to raise a mammoth £15,000 for the British Heart Foundation in memory of their late father and husband. Gary French, 59, was a much-loved family man who was well known around the town – involved at the golf club, bowling club and a former player and manager of football teams Peebles Rovers and Tweeddale Rovers. The stonemason sadly lost his life last year after suffering a heart attack while working at a house in the town, prompting a massive outpouring of grief in the community.
Wife Iris, daughters Johanna, Sarah and Emily, his grandchildren and the rest of the family rallied round to organise a memorial day in his honour at Peebles Golf Club in July. This will now become an annual event. Members and friends of Gary were able to honour him in fitting fashion with a day that would have been right up his street – golf and friendly competition, followed by an auction, a disco and a few drinks.
A staggering £15,450 was raised, which the French family were over the moon to be able to donate to BHF. Daughter Emily said: “The golf day was a massive success and it meant so much to us as a family to be able to do this for dad. “We had so many amazing volunteers and fantastic sponsors who all helped make it run as smoothly as possible.
We are so grateful to Peebles Golf Club for allowing us to run this event in his memory every year. We weren’t the ones who raised the £15,450, it was him.” She added: “It had Gary written all over it.
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