Friday 2nd of July saw the playing of a memorial Golf event in memory of Gregory Brookes from Markfield, Leicestershire who died suddenly and tragically last October 7th of Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome – SADS.
The death was widely publicised in the Leicester Mercury last year when it happened and raised awareness in many readers of the little understood condition which affects young people. Greg (right) was a very keen golfer and as such many of his close friends chose to commemorate his memory by the erecting of a Memorial bench on his favourite and home course of Rothley Park Golf Club.
It was decided the best way to raise the funds was to organise a Golf competition and, so successful was it, that it saw over 100 golfers from all over the County of Leicestershire clamouring to take part and raise money – not only for the memorial bench, but also the charities of the DLRAA (the Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance), CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) and one of Greg’s own favourites, the RNLI.
The event organiser, Mrs Hayley Liepins from Rothley Park Golf Club, said, “We were just absolutely delighted that the Club allowed us to hold this event with such a tremendous turn-out and we were further delighted to have Mr Dennis and Mrs Judy Brookes – Greg’s parents – along with a couple of other family members, serving all the players refreshments half way round the course.”
She further added that due to the popularity of the event and the extremely generous donations by many of the people who knew and loved Greg, “…we have also been able to produce a superb trophy which the event winners will be able to keep for a year and have also donated a further trophy for one of the Golf Clubs’ under-35’s competitions which will keep Greg’s name forever alive in the Club”.
Early signs show that the three charities will receive around £500 each from the event and, who knows, it could even become an annual event!
