Grangemouth Sea Cadets get £8000 boost from fund for tragic Harley (16)

Grangemouth Sea Cadets – or TS Forth as they are known – paid tribute to St Mungo’s High School pupil Harley Smith (16) when he tragically died after he was involved in a collision with a Mercedes car while riding his bicycle on the A803 Polmont Road at the junction with Dundas Road, in Laurieston on Friday, November 6 last year.

Now the youngster’s family have been able to help his former unit through a donation of £8000 raised in his memory.

In an online tribute to Harley following his death last year, Grangemouth Sea Cadets stated: “Not all of you will have known Harley but those who did will know he was a very quiet, unassuming and dedicated cadet. He always gave his all and had such a bright future ahead of him.

“We have lost one of our own, who was a part of the TS Forth family. He will be sadly missed by everyone who knew him. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family at this incredibly difficult time.”

After receiving the kind – and significant – donation, a TS Forth spokesperson said: “As you are aware we recently lost one of our former cadets, Harley Smith in a tragic accident. Consequently his family set up a go fund me page to raise £100 to allow them to create a memorial for Harley.

“Donations kept flooding in and, as a result, the total raised was over £16,500. The family have decided to make some donations to charities and organisations that meant a lot to them and Harley.

“Our unit is fortunate to be one of the chosen charities to receive such a donation. We received a call from Joanna, Harleys mum, to say the amount being donated to the unit is a staggering £8000, to purchase any equipment we need for the benefit of both our existing and future cadets.

“We are very humbled the unit is so highly thought of by the family to give us a donation of this size. We truly are grateful. The equipment we will purchase will be a lasting legacy to Harley and his family.”

Following his death, many floral tributes to the popular youngster – a former pupil of Grangemouth's Sacred Heart Primary School – were laid at Laurieston Parish Church and his family set up a page on the GoFundMe website.

The page stated: “Our family would like to make a lasting memorial for our much loved son, brother, grandson, nephew and friend. Harley was only 16 when he was fatally hit by a car as he cycled home from his friends.

“His family and friends would all like a lasting memorial and share some of the donations to some charities/organisations that meant a lot to him. Please give what you can and rest assured every penny will be put to good use in his name.”