Fundraising in father's memory

7:11pm Monday 18th August 2008

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The family of a father-of-three killed in a road accident three years ago have been keeping his spirit alive and helping to raise money at the same time.

Adam Buddin, 30, died in a collision at Weston-on-the-Green as he travelled to work at the Campsfield House immigration detention centre, at Kidlington, in October 2005.

Since then his wife Joanna, 31, daughters Kayleigh, six, Ashley May, four, and two-year-old son Jaycob, have organised an annual five-a-side football tournament, barbecue and raffle in memory of the former soldier.

Six teams played for the Adam Buddin Trophy at Lower Heyford Football Club on Saturday. The Kangaroos from Mr Buddin's home town of Dorchester, in Dorset, won the tournament for the second year in a row.

Mrs Buddin said: "I want to keep Adam's memory alive and we have got this massive trophy to remember him by.

"It's a way of getting all of Adam's family together and us together. It's good to remember him in this way - he loved football."

Talking about life since the accident, she said: "It's hard work but the children are a blessing. You have got to get on with life and look after them."

"I still miss him. There isn't anyone new, I don't think anyone else would compare."

The event raised £500 for the Oxford Children's Hospital.

Over the past three years, the family has raised £3,250 for the hospital, both from the football fun day and Mrs Buddin twice taking part in the OX5 Run at Blenheim Palace.

Mrs Buddin chose the children's hospital because Ashley May was treated at the Leopold Ward of Oxford's Radcliffe Infirmary as a baby.

The couple met in 2000, when Mr Buddin was a soldier based in Bicester.

The first family fun day and football tournament was organised by Mr Buddin's colleagues at Campsfield House, where he worked as a training officer and since then, Mrs Buddin has carried on the tradition.