HUNDREDS of people attended a cricket day in memory of former Colchester cricketer Rob George.

Rob, 21, a former Colchester Royal Grammar School pupil and member of Colchester and East Essex Cricket Club, died from leukaemia.

His parents, Philip and Lorraine, set up the Rob George Foundation in his memory and Saturday marked the second charity cricket day to raise funds for the foundation.

A total of 26 teams took part in the event in Colchester’s Castle Park.

There was also a barbeque and live music from Colchester Institute’s jazz band.

Mrs George said: “It was a wonderful day and we were blessed with the weather.

“It is the second year we have done it and all being well we are going to make it an annual event.

“It was such a lot of fun and so nice to get so many of Rob’s friends and people who knew him from cricket and had played with him at the Colchester and East Essex League together and a great way to start the cricket season.”

The foundation has so far given grants to 75 young people with life-limiting illness or with promise in the worlds of sport or the arts.

Mr George said: “Rob was really clear with us on how the foundation should be conducted.

“He said everybody needs to have a good time and it needs to be something I would have liked to have gone to.

“The thank you letters we get from people who have received grants is so humbling.

“What we are doing is not the eye-catching, sexy stuff.

“Other charities send people on holiday, make them a princess for the day or get them tickets to their favourite band.

“That is all great, but what we are about is the practical things people need help with – if people need help paying the rent on their flat, or need food or bedding.”

To find out more about the foundation, visit therobgeorgefoundati.

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