Tribute to Matt has a charitable goal

The former North Leamington School pupil, 23, died of a cardiac arrest while he was running the Kenilworth Half Marathon last month.

He was taking part in the event to raise money for Proyecto Educandonos, a charity in Buenos Aires which helps vulnerable youngsters.

To pick up where Matt left off, his friends will play a match against a team from Baxi in Coventry Road, Warwick, the company where he worked as a media officer.

Anthony Autwal, who worked with Matt, said: “Matt was a good friend and a great colleague who was always happy and full of life.

“He was working his way up the company and doing really well.

“His death was a shock to us, it hasn’t really sunk in yet.

“He was so funny, always cracking me up and he was the life and soul of the party.

”It’ll feel brilliant to raise money for the charity he was supporting and I’m sure he would be proud of us.”

The match will take place at Myton School on Saturday November 27 from noon to 2pm.

Matt’s workmates will play in a specially designed strip bearing his surname and the number 23.

His friends are planning to play in the colours of Leeds United, the team Matt supported.

Both teams want to make the match an annual event.

Baxi staff have bought memorial wristbands to boost the fundraising effort.

Lee Ingham, another of Matt’s colleagues, said his workmate liked to play football after work on Wednesdays.

He added: “It’s good to do something he liked doing.

“I’ve got no idea of the standard of who we’ll be up against - it could be a Coventry City XI.”