Paul Lawson honoured by college

Paul Lawson framed shirt

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After a tragic accident took the life of Paul Lawson, his friends and teaching staff at Hopwood Hall College came together to honour the football academy student.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/110753/a-teenager-has-died-at-greenbooth-reservoir

Almost £700 was raised through a five-a-side tournament, hosted at Hopwood’s Middleton campus, between rival college teams and attended by over 100 people.

The college also framed his football shirt and fittied it to a wall inside their football academy.

The college has sent another framed shirt, signed by Paul’s close friends and tutors, to his mother along with the £697.85 raised from the tournament.

The number 28 shirt has been retired from the college’s football academy in Paul’s honour.

Ben Hough, one of Paul’s closest friends, organised the tournament along with his college sports lecturers and a group of friends in a bid to raise money towards Paul’s funeral whilst having a final get together in his name.

Students from colleges all over the surrounding areas entered the tournament, with a team from Rochdale Sixth Form taking home the winner’s trophy.

Ben said: "It’s really good to see how many people turned out for the tournament. We didn’t make a massive deal of it and it was organised at quite short notice, but so many people still heard and came along.

“The money raised is really good and I hope it helps his family out. I’d like to thank everyone at the college who helped organise it and all the people who made donations, Paul would have loved it.”

Rob Johnson, Head Coach at Hopwood Hall College’s Football Academy, said:"I’d like to highlight the resolve Paul’s fellow students have shown since the accident. They have carried themselves brilliantly throughout, being able to organise a tournament like this is no small feat and to do so after such an event is exceptional.

“With the support we have all seen since the accident, you don’t need words to understand what sort of affect he had on people.”