HERE was standing room only at St Peters Church in Leamington as family, loved ones and friends paid their final respects to former Observer deputy editor Matt Bates.
Hundreds gathered to celebrate the life of the talented writer, musician, sportsman and all-round top bloke who passed away on Friday, October 28 following a two-year battle with a rare form of cancer.
Matt’s family led the tributes – including a a beautiful eulogy read by his dad Bill – reflecting on the amazing man Matt was and the special times they had enjoyed in his all-too-short 27 years.
Throughout his battle Matt penned a collection of heartfelt, emotional and heartbreaking songs about his journey and his loved ones for his album Fightback.
The album – released just days before his passing – is available on i-Tunes, Apple Music, Spotify and Amazon – or you can but a hard copy through Matt’s website – www.matt-bates.co.uk/fightback-cd/ – where you can also read his beautifully crafted blogs about his cancer battle.
The blogs also feature his fight for the inclusion of the ground-breaking Nivolumab immunotherapy drug to be approved by NICE for use within the NHS.
The drug was granted one of the fastest ever approvals from NICE – and Matt’s involvement in campaigning for it will be a lasting legacy for he and his family.
