Wath Brow Hornets club turned out in force last night to remember one of its favourite sons.
Gavin Curwen collapsed and died in February 2017 aged 40, leaving a huge hole in many lives.
Last night the Hornets’ players of all age groups swapped their rugby boots for walking boots to climb Dent Fell in memory of the former player, who was assistant coach when he died.
The whole of the club from Under-6s right through to the open age, as well as coaches, first aiders, ground staff and former players walked to the summit to congregate at a cairn erected on the top of the fell in Gavin’s memory.
It was the first time the whole of the club had visited the cairn, although it has become a tradition for the older players to meet there on Christmas Eve.
It was a sponsored walk with all the money raised going towards the club’s new facility currently being built behind the clubhouse. It is to allow the players to train indoors during bad weather.
Since Gavin’s untimely death a Heart Foundation was established to raise money to donate defibrillators to local sports clubs.
He had played from a young age at Wath Brow and was a member of the Hornets side which won the National Cup in 2004.
His son Sam has followed his playing path and is now a goal-kicking member of the first team.
At the time of his death a Hornets spokesman said: “Wath Brow has lost one of their greatest sons and I don’t think we will ever get another player or a guy as good as him. The whole club is just in total shock.”
