Donation honours Buckie Thistle Club Chaplain's memory
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A DONATION in memory of a Buckie minister has provided a four-figure boost for the development of young local footballers.
John Coppard was the pastor at the Riverside Church in Buckie and also became the first to hold the post of Buckie Thistle FC Club Chaplain.
Sadly, Pastor Coppard passed away last November after succumbing to Covid-19 at the age of just 64.
A staunch Jags fan, he will always be remembered at Victoria Park for his cheery demeanour and welcome for the fans, especially the younger generation, when they came through the turnstiles for the matches.
Half of the collection taken at Pastor Coppard's funeral, totalling £1000, was recently presented to Buckie Thistle Youth Development by his sister, Fiona Walls, on behalf of his widow, Irene. The money will help nurture young footballers in the area.
During his time at Riverside Church Pastor Coppard did much to reach out to people battling addictions, including the Big Green Bus, an initiative to try and help those who needed it most. With this in mind, the second half of his funeral collection will go to addiction prevention charity Life Challenge.