Cowdenbeath mum raises £10k in memory of her late son

Mandy Goodall, 59, originally from Lumphinnans, has raised a massive donation for CHAS after holding a birthday party in memory of her son Gareth Blackadder, who died 20 years ago.

The event was held at Wee Jimmies in Cowdenbeath on Friday August 1.

Gareth had been an apprentice plumber and footballer for Cowdenbeath and Kelty Hearts and was fatally injured in a road accident on Standing Stane Road in May 2005.

(Image: Supplied) Since Gareth’s death, the Lumphinnans community have been immensely supportive of his family and friends.

After the accident, they offered a funeral cost donation. Even years later, they still commemorate the young sportsman with a Gareth Blackadder football tournament for primary schools in the Beath High School cluster, as well as two memorial benches.

Mandy said: “He would have been 40 this year, and I thought I’m going to do a party, so we had a 40th birthday party!

“It was with close friends and family, and we sold 140 tickets.

"All the funds are going to CHAS.”

Mandy decided to pick CHAS as her chosen charity as she felt that the cause was close to home, and despite different circumstances, it would help parents suffering from bereavement of a child.

The event was even more successful than she could have imagined, with locals offering their services, donating cash and gifting expensive items for the raffle. 

Mandy (middle) with her partner's daughter and son in law, Deborah and Stephen Sadlier (Image: Supplied) Mandy continued: “We had singers, Carly Schiavone, Elvis Schiavone, Pamela Davy, Daniel Lamond and James Davy.

“We were donated Neil Lennon and Gordon Brown signed whisky bottles, a Rangers strip and a signed Scott Brown Celtic strip!”

The Rangers strip was auctioned off by Scott Paterson from Moorelands Travel for £1,100.

The buyer, David White, had been helped into his plumbing apprenticeship by Gareth two decades ago and said he was proud that in his life, he'd followed in Gareth's footsteps.

After buying the strip, David gifted it to a little boy who had to drop out of bidding.

The event brought together people from both Lumphinnans and Cowdenbeath, including old friends of Gareth who hadn’t seen each other since his funeral.

Mandy said the event could never have happened without the support of her friends and family, who all played their own part in organising the party.

She added: “I’m never going to be able to bring him back.

“But I can give him a legacy.

“The night was amazing, it was like a heavenly party.”