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Generous fans donate £20k to Gately charity

A children's charity supported by the late Stephen Gately has received almost £20k in donations since the singer's death. By Shelley Marsden - 22/10/09

The Boyzone singer was a Goodwill Ambassador for Britain's Caudwell Children's Charity, supporting the organisation and regularly performing at fundraising events. Following his death, his family requested his fans to donate to charity rather than sending flowers.

Spokesperson Trudi Beswick said: "It's an amazing gesture for the charity and it sums up Stephen - he always thought of others first."We're already up to an amazing amount and hopefully we can buy wheelchairs and equipment and therapy for kids."

Thousands gathered to say their final goodbyes to the Boyzone singer in Dublin

last Saturday. The singer’s funeral, poignant and filled with song, took place at St Laurence O'Toole's Church, just a stone’s throw from where he grew up on

Sheriff Street

Famous friends and faces from the entertainment world paid tribute to Gately, as did friends from his childhood in the tough inner-city area.

During the service, Gately’s former Boyzone colleagues spoke lovingly about their friend. Lead singer, Ronan Keating, who called Gately "a man, a friend, a brother, a son, a hero", fought back tears to perform Hymn In This Life and Happiness.

Around 3,000 people, some clutching pictures of the star and others holding white roses, lined the streets to listen to the service on loudspeakers, and farewell banners hung from nearby balconies. Some climbed up onto lampposts and leaned out of windows to get a better glimpse of the church.

When everyone had gone, five photographs of the singer at various stages of his life were left behind inside the church – including one with his bandmates in Boyzone. Gately was later cremated after a short service at Dublin's Glasnevin cemetery.

Just hours after the service, the singer’s friends and family celebrated his short life during a wake which finished at 3am, hosted by Ronan Keating, Mikey Graham, Keith Duffy and Shane Lynch at Dublin's Four Seasons Hotel.

The 400 guests included fellow Irish boyband Westlife, former X Factor winner Shayne Ward, Boyzone's manager Louis Walsh, Jason Donovan and Sir Elton John's partner David Furnish, who all raised toasts to Gately as they watched videos of his life and career.

Shane Lynch, as he left the wake, said: "We gave Stephen the farewell he deserved. We all deal with grief in our own way, and this was our way.

"It was a brilliant night, fitting for a brilliant person. We will never forget him."