Hopes fund will provide '˜small comfort' to victims of Leeds crash

An online appeal was launched last month for people to donate following the fatal collision on the Broadway A6120 ring road on June 30.

Matt Walshaw, 18, Declan Grove, 19, Brandon Frew, 19 and Caelan Megson, 21, died when the Seat Leon they were travelling in collided with a Seat Alhambra taxi.

Two girls, who were also travelling in the Leon, were injured and the taxi driver was also hurt.

Now the fund, set up by Horsforth MP Stuart Andrew, has raised more than £1,600 to be donated to those affected by the crash.

Mr Andrew said the cash would be given to affected families – and survivors – of the collision, to provide “a small comfort in a terrible time”.

“We were all very shocked and saddened in our community by what has happened and the tragic loss of four young lives,” he told the YEP.

“The fundraising page is of course only a small gesture but my constituents had expressed a strong desire to do what they could to help and asked me to set up the page for them to donate and provide messages of support to provide a small comfort in a terrible time.”

Almost 100 different people donated to the online fund, many of whom used the opportunity to pay their respects in messages to the men who died.

Mr Andrew said: “The funds are to be distributed as soon as possible to the families of those tragically lost in this accident and also to the survivors who we are all hoping make a full recovery.

“It is for the families and survivors to decide what they would like to use the funds for.”

He said he was contacted by a large number of residents who were horrified after the fatal collision occurred, and wanted to do something to help.

Before setting up the appeal, Mr Andrew met with police and the Rev Nigel Sinclair, from St Margaret’s Church, which is 
just streets away from where the devastating collision happened.

The church also set up a dedicated space inside the building just days after the crash, to give people a chance to pay their respects to victims in a peaceful setting.

MESSAGE TO CRASH VICTIMS

Generous donors to the online crowdfunding appeal also left a flurry of messages paying their respects to the young men who died in the horror crash.

One anonymous donor said: “May these messages of support show you how your sons were valued and perhaps be of just a little comfort. From a teacher at Horsforth School.”

Another said: “We hope that there will be comfort for the families and friends in sharing happy memories together of the friends, and wish the three injured a full and as swift a recovery as possible.”