- In a final charitable act, a fundraiser has been set up by Liam Payne’s family
- Friends and fans are able to donate in the singer’s memory
- A friend close to Payne said, ‘Generosity was Liam to a tee’
In a final charitable act, a fundraiser has been set up in Liam Payne’s name.
The former One Direction star died aged 31 on October 16, after falling from the balcony of a third floor hotel room in the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires.
Mourners paid their final respects at Payne’s funeral in Buckinghamshire on November 20, and were asked by the singer’s family to make a donation to the British children’s hospital, Great Ormond Street.
The order of service stated that all donations for the charity will go towards building a new cancer unit on site.
It reads, ‘Thank you for your donation to Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity in memory of our friend Liam Payne.
‘Your donation today will continue Liam’s legacy by helping to build a brand new Children’s Cancer Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
‘This incredible new building will help give seriously ill children childhoods that are fuller, funner and longer.’
A friend close to Payne said, “Generosity was Liam to a tee. His family knew that Liam cared greatly for others and, as painful as his death was, they know Liam would have taken a huge amount of pride in knowing that he was still able to help others.
“Large sums of money were donated to this in Liam’s name yesterday and it will help so many children.”
Payne’s giving nature was exemplified in the months leading up to his death.
He gave £10,000 ($12,600) for one child’s treatment, and gifted another £770 ($970) went to a young girl’s medical bills after she was injured during a school shooting.
Payne also helped a child who was diagnosed with a stage two Wilms tumour on her kidney.
Friends pay their respects to Payne
As fans lined the street to pay tribute to Payne, his celebrity friends were also in attendance.
His former bandmates Harry Styles, 30, Niall Horan, 31, Zayn Malik, 31, and Louis Tomlinson, 32, were seen walking into the church for what is their first public meeting as a group since their last concert in 2015.
Payne’s former partner Cheryl Tweedy was there to pay her respects, alongside their seven-year-old son, Bear.
Her Girls Aloud bandmates Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh showed up to support their friend; while Simon Cowell, the man responsible for making One Direction famous via The X Factor, was seen sharing an embrace with Payne’s parents.
Former Late Late Show host James Cordon, footballer Robbie Keane – who Payne knew through his Soccer Aid charity work – Radio 2 Breakfast DJ Scott Mills, and pop star couple Marvin and Rochelle Humes also turned up to mourn the singer.
Others could not be there, but offered their condolances in other ways. Robbie Williams and former X Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger are understood to have been in contact with his family and sent flowers.
Payne’s family were, of course, also present; as well as his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy.
