MOURNERS donated more than 470 kilos of food and toiletries to the Black Country Foodbank in memory of a Halesowen man who died from a mystery illness.
Former football player and coach Carl Taylor, aged 48, was taken ill suddenly and died at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital on April 30.
The cause of death has still to be determined but his widow Sarah took some consolation from the donations given in lieu of flowers.
Mourners packed Stourbridge Crematorium for his funeral on Monday July 20 and this week the foodbank took delivery of a van load of donations amounting to 452 kilos of food and 19.5 kilos of non-food items, mainly toiletries.
More than £1,000 was also raised for the QE.
Mrs Taylor was “overwhelmed” by the number of people at the funeral and the generous donations.
Family friend Kathryn Jones said Mr Taylor, who had a daughter Hannah and granddaughter Freya, had been a keen supporter of the foodbank.
A foodbank spokesman said: “We are very grateful that the family thought of the Black Country Foodbank at what is obviously a difficult time.
“The donation will feed a considerable number of people in the Black Country.”
Mr Taylor worked in sales for tool manufacturer’s Guhring Ltd and his passion was football.
He played for a number of local teams, including
Lye Town, Enville Athletic and Handrahan Timbers and went on to coach Greenhill FC and Bartley Green.
He also coached at children's football club Perrywoods FC.
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