'His legacy will live on': Money raised at Northampton town legend's funeral donated to mental health charity

Hundreds of pounds have been donated to a mental health charity after it was raised at a Northampton town legend’s funeral.

Veteran market trader Eamonn ‘Fitzy’ Fitzpatrick, who worked on the town’s market since he was 12 years old, sadly died in November, aged 72.

Hundreds of people attended Fitzy’s funeral, where he was driven through the Market Square one final time before a touching service at All Saints Church and a burial at Kingsthorpe Cemetery.

The Lowdown charity, based in Kingswell Street, was Fitzy’s charity of choice. The charity was recently handed a £660 cheque from Fitzy’s family following money raised at the funeral.

Ellie White fundraising and marketing manager at The Lowdown said: “Fitzy supported the lowdown for over 14 years, therefore we were very saddened to hear of his sudden passing in November.

"We were honoured to be chosen. In Fitzy’s honour we have named one of our newly converted counselling rooms ‘The Fitzy Room’, so his legacy will live on.

“We wanted to put donations towards something long lasting for young people. The donations will be split between providing new counselling chairs for our brand-new Lowdown Lounge and towards our youth forum.

"Fitzy was the voice of Northampton Market and we thought it was fitting to put some of the money towards giving young people a voice on The Lowdown services – and what they feel they need to support their mental health and wellbeing.”

Fitzy’s son, Joe, said it was ‘an honour’ to hand over the money.

He said: “We are so grateful for everyone's donations. Since The Lowdown found out about the donations they have worked with us in a sensitive way to find how best to use the money.

"It is so thoughtful how they decided to buy nice chairs for the group that gives the young people opportunity to be the voice of services and how they are delivered by The Lowdown.

"They rightly thought this was appropriate because of Dad being such a passionate voice of things in and around Northampton, especially the Market Square.”

Click here for more information on The Lowdown.