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Les Lavender with his daughter Wendy Mitchell at his farewell party at home in Cwmbran

THE family of a much-loved Cwmbran man who died of cancer last month raised £5,000 in his memory.

Les Lavender was a stalwart campaigner for Cancer Research Wales and raised £14,000 after his wife Jean died of the disease in 2006.

The former landscape gardener from Trannon Court, Thornhill, was diagnosed with stomach cancer on Christmas Eve and given nine weeks to live.

He died at the end of February aged 71.

His daughter Wendy Mitchell said: "Dad used to take a bucket around his local pub the Kingfisher collecting money and we did the same at his funeral and collected £500 from that alone."

The Argus reported a couple of months ago how Mr Lavender had planned to do a skydive from Swansea airfield to raise money for the charity.

But after his diagnosis, his son Alan, 43, stepped in to perform the feat.

Mr Lavender though was there to see it just before he died.

Touched by the story, many readers phoned the family to pledge money to the cause, including Sheedy Demolition of Newport who sent a cheque for £400.

RK Travel of Cwmbran gave a sizeable donation while even more money will go to Cancer Research Wales after Mrs Mitchell agreed to tell the story of her dad's fund-raising to a women's magazine.

"We have all been touched to receive so many donations at the funeral and during the time around it," she said.

"It all shows that dad meant so much to so many people and with everyone doing things in his memory, it shows that he won't be forgotten."

The family thanked all who have given to the cause, with a barbecue and disco being held this summer to raise more money.

His children Tony, 47, Adrian, 45, Alan, 43, and Mrs Mitchell, 34, have vowed to carry on fund raising in Mr Lavender's memory.

If you would like to donate, call Mrs Mitchell on 078952588004.

7:21am Thursday 27th March 2008

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