A FUNDRAISING appeal has been launched in the name of a popular Aunt Sally player who died from cancer.

Gavin Anderson, from Kidlington, was 59 when he lost his 10-month battle with oesophageal cancer at Sobell House hospice in Oxford in January.

Now his family is launching a series of events aimed at raising £10,000 to thank the hospice for “all the wonderful work it did”.

An Aunt Sally day, darts marathon and race night will be among the highlights.

Mr Anderson’s widow, Marilyn, of Blenheim Road, said the appeal would be “a perfect legacy” to her husband.

She said: “When Gavin was in the hospice, his close friend Colin Pollard said he wanted to launch a fund in his name.

“Gavin thought it was a great idea and Colin said he wanted to raise £10,000 for the hospice by September this year.

“So along with myself and our sons Lee, 30, and Tim, 23, we started the Gavin Anderson Sobell House Appeal as a way of saying thank you.”

Mr Anderson was a materials manager for an engineering company in Oxford.

Last month the Oxford Mail reported that his local, the Red Lion, had launched a beer called Aunt Sally’s in his memory. The bitter is brewed by Hook Norton Brewery and 10p from each pint goes to the hospice.

Mrs Anderson said: “Gavin’s death has left all of us with such a large hole in our lives.

“He was a lovely man and liked by everyone. We all miss him terribly and his death has been completely life-changing.”

Mrs Anderson paid tribute to the staff at the hospice, in the grounds of the Churchill Hospital.

She said: “Everybody there did such an amazing job in caring for Gavin.

“They took care of everything and took care of him, and us, during his last weeks. We can’t thank them enough.”

For more information, see the appeal website.