parents commended for work following death of son
Fundraisers praised in Commons
Published:
Charity fundraising in memory of a 12-year-old boy who collapsed and died during an after-school football training session in Dundee was praised in the Commons last night
Dundee West Labour MP Jim McGovern praised the work of Abi and Alison Abubaker, who set up the Yusef Abubaker Memorial Trust following the death of their son Yusef last September, during a questions session with Communities Minister Parmjit Dhanda.
He told the minister he had attended an Arabic buffet at which he found members of local Syrian, Libyan, Malaysian, Palestinian and Chinese communities as well as local Scots.
He said: “This is a shining example of what can be achieved when all communities come together and unite.”
Mr Dhanda said he agreed – and praised the family’s Remembering Yusef website which details work they have done raising thousands of pounds for charity.
Mr McGovern said later he joined the minister in commending their work and their “determination to honour their son’s memory by helping others” and the way in doing so they have brought communities together.
Yusef collapsed during a break in football practice at Dundee's Harris Academy.
Mr Abubaker is director of operations at the city's Al-Maktoum Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies.
The aim of the trust, a registered charity, is to help in the areas of health, sport, education and poverty locally and globally.
