https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxawAA2HhKw
VIDEO: Amateur boxer Eddie Bilbey tragically died in March.
A charity breakfast in memory of a young boxer who died after a fight has been organised ahead of Nottingham Forest’s huge Championship clash against Ipswich.
Talented 17-year-old fighter and Reds fan Eddie Bilbey died in hospital after collapsing following an amateur bout in South Normanton, Derbyshire, on March 24.
A post-mortem exam has taken place and the cause of death could be announced this month.
The Reds take on the Tractor Boys in their bid for Championship survival on Sunday and the fundraiser will take place at the Saltbox, Bolero Square, from 8am to raise money towards setting up the Eddie Bilbie Foundation.
Andy Hallam, from Ruddington, a Forest fan who organises events for city pub group Great Northern Inns, is helping to stage the event and says the money raised will help and financially support aspiring boxers in Eddie’s memory.
He said: “The day’s about Eddie’s memory. It would’ve been his 18th birthday yesterday (Thursday, March 4) which is really sad. But what you have to do is make it a celebration.
“We’ll have around 250 people in the Saltbox and all the money on the door is going to the Eddie Bilbey fund.
“It’ll be to fund children’s kit if they can’t afford it. A lot of people might be out of work or their parents might not be able to buy their own.”
Tickets are £10 on the door and there will be an auction featuring signed shirts – including a replica signed by Jeff Whitefoot, the only surviving player of Forest’s 1959 FA Cup-winning side.
The money will also go towards launching ‘Bloomin’ Dementia’, a charity led by Nottingham actress Vicky McClure and her partner Jonny Owen.
Jonny, the director of critically acclaimed film I Believe in Miracles, has also helped to organise the event with Rhyce Holdsworth, Tom Holodynsky and Gary Clarke.
“Gary Clarke, ‘Boatsy’, has helped to collect memorabilia and we’ve had an unbelievable response,” Andy said.
“We’ve got signed things directly from Nottingham Forest, we’ve got signed things given to Jonny given by some of the guys that played in both European Cup-winning teams.
“We’ve got signed shirts by Ian Storey-Moore, stuff signed by Colin Barrett, Gary Birtles and John Robertson.
“We’ve got shirts from the Billy Davies period. It’s quite heart-rending to see how many people have come out and done what they’ve done.”
Andy and Jonny will both DJ at the event and there will be a live performance from Sutton-in-Ashfield-based band King of Rome, who will be performing for free.
It is hoped Eddie’s family will attend, with Rhyce adding they are having a ‘hard time’ coping with their tragic loss.
