Tributes paid to Pompey fan and Bedhampton grandfather-of-eight who died from cancer
THE FAMILY of a Pompey fan and loving grandfather have paid tribute to him after he died from cancer.
After beating prostate cancer a couple of years ago, former Crown Court usher Robin Sweetman died from bladder cancer last week.
The 77-year-old father-of-two from Bedhampton was being cared for at Rowans Hospice in the last months of his life and he also received support from Macmillan.
His grandson Josh described his granddad ‘as the life of the party’.
The 27-year-old said: ‘We are heartbroken that he is gone but we are so thankful to staff at Rowans and Macmillan who looked after him and gave such support to our family.
‘I lived with my grandparents and they brought me up so he is like a dad to me. He took me to my first Pompey game and we had season tickets up until a few years ago when he was too ill to go.’
Josh has started a fundraiser to help his nan and Robin’s wife, Marie, with the next few months and proceeds will also be split between Rowans Hospice, which looks after people with life limiting illnesses at its facility in Purbrook, and Macmillan.
He said: ‘I wanted my nan to have a bit of help to ease the burden and also we wanted to give something back to the charities that helped him.
‘It is hard at the moment due to Covid-19 that as a family we can't come together to mourn him and to only have four or five people at his funeral wouldn’t serve his legacy properly.
‘He was the life of the party and always mingling with people. After this is all over, we will be having a celebration of his life because that is what he would have wanted. It will not be a time to be sad but a time to raise a drink to him and remember all the good things.’
Josh has also asked if anyone knew Robin and has stories they want to share to get in touch via the Go Fund Me page.
To donate visit gofundme.com/f/raising-money-in-memory-of-robin-sweetman