'Feel good' fundraiser raises more than £1,000 in memory of Wellingborough man who battled with his mental health

A 'feel good' event to raise awareness and funds in memory of a Wellingborough man who struggled with his mental health has been hailed a success.

Eugene Parbery of Wellingborough battled with his mental health for several years and his family was heartbroken when it got too much for him on Christmas Eve 2019 when he was just 36.

His cousin Tom Deacon of Kettering wanted to do something in Eugene's memory and planned to hold a charity event with live music and entertainment in May 2020.

Sadly Covid-19 meant the event had to be cancelled but Tom still held the festival online, with the virtual event raising £1,200 for mental health charity Mind.

Undefeated by Covid for a second year running, Tom repeated the fundraiser with DJs playing throughout the day last Sunday (May 30), albeit online again, and says it was a huge success.

Tom told the Northants Telegraph: "We raised £1,135 on Sunday, I am proud of everyone who took part and donated."

All the money raised is going to Mind in memory of Tom's cousin Eugene, with Tom saying before the event: "In my eyes, if it just went towards stopping one person taking their own life then I have done my job."

Tom spoke to some of Eugene's family on Sunday and says they loved it, adding: "I just don't like the thought of someone else's family having to go through what we did."

Tom is now looking forward to returning next year with the third event being as he had originally planned with live music stages and lots of fun for all the family.

If any businesses would like to sponsor next year's event, they can email [email protected].

To read more about Eugene, who worked as a courier driver at DPD in Raunds and lived in Wellingborough, and his family's desire to raise awareness of mental health, click here.

To keep up-to-date with next year's event, search for @feel_fest on Twitter or @feelgoodfest on Instagram.