Thousands Raised In Memory of Halesworth Footballer

Tuesday, 27 January 2026 06:00

Fundraising in memory of local footballer Toby Chenery is being used to provide potentially life-saving heart screenings for young people in the Halesworth area.

Toby died suddenly in his sleep at the age of 23 after returning home from football. Although he appeared healthy and had shown no symptoms, he was later found to have an undiagnosed heart condition. His death prompted friends and family to begin fundraising in his name through a memorial page with the charity CRY – Cardiac Risk in the Young.

So far, £49,433 has been raised. The money is being used to fund cardiac screening events in partnership with CRY, offering ECG tests to people aged between 14 and 35. The screening process takes around 10 minutes and can identify many underlying heart conditions.

The first screening event will be held at the Pear Tree Centre, with appointments released online on a first-come, first-served basis. Demand for the screenings is expected to be high. Anyone unable to secure a slot can request to be added to a cancellation list.

CRY says at least 12 young people in the UK die every week from undiagnosed heart conditions. The charity works to improve early detection and prevent avoidable deaths through screening and awareness.

Further information about booking appointments, donating to the memorial fund, or learning more about Toby’s story is available through the CRY website and the Pear Tree Fund.