Friends pay tribute to funny, loving student, 14

TRIBUTES have been paid to a popular and much-loved teenager who has died after suffering from leukaemia.

Matthew Gillespie, 14, a pupil at Tadcaster Grammar School, passed away after being diagnosed with leukaemia which doctors discovered as he was undergoing treatment for muscular dystrophy.

On Friday the school paid tribute to Matthew - described as a fun-loving, happy and caring young man - with a non uniform day to raise money for his chosen charities.

As Matthew was a big fan of Castleford Tigers and attended many of their matches, it was decided that staff and students at Tadcaster Grammar School would be asked to wear their favourite sports shirt and to donate 1 to do so.

Steve Gillespie, Matthew's dad, said: "It's great they have remembered him for the nice person he was.

"He was a happy, cheerful lad. He never once complained about his disability. He never asked, 'what have I got? Why me?' He got on with life.

"We're happy he is being remembered as the loving, funny young man he was."

The Year 10 pupil was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at the age of five. He was diagnosed with leukaemia in September after undergoing blood tests related to his condition. Matthew passed away in January.

Amanda Jack, Matthew's teaching assistant, said: Matthew was a lot of fun to be with. He was a practical joker, always telling jokes and often I was the recipient of those practical jokes.

I miss him terribly and he is such a sad loss to our Tadcaster Grammar School family.

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Friends pay tribute to funny, loving student, 14