Emotional journey to create legacy to River Reeves

VIDEO: FAMILY and friends of Viola Beach band member River Reeves have completed an emotional journey from Penzance to Warrington, raising over £13,000 for a foundation set up in his memory.

River’s dad, Penketh High School head Ben Dunne, helped co-ordinate the event which saw the team which included River’s brothers Fin and Gabriel and sister Stella Judson, cover a total of 420 miles.

River, 19, together with his Viola Beach band mates Kris Leonard, 20, Thomas Lowe, 27 and Jack Dakin, 19 and their manager, Craig Tarry, 32, were all killed in a car accident in Sweden in February. They were travelling home from their first international gig.

River lived in Penzance, Cornwall, before moving to Warrington in 2007 where he went on to join Viola Beach who’s album went to Number 1 in the album charts posthumously over the summer. Riv’s Riders made the same journey, on their bikes.

They received a colourful reception from family and friends as they arrived in Warrington town centre, traveling up Bridge Street, making a visit to the three red telephone boxes on Market Gate made famous by one of the band’s photo shoots.

Ben and River’s brothers Fin and Gabriel clambered onto the phone boxes, before being showered with champagne to celebrate the completion of their marathon effort and River’s young life.

Speaking after the event Ben said: “It has been an emotional experience – but the group who did it were never not going to finish this epic journey.

“It is mixed emoitions because Riv is not here to share it with us.

Ben added: “We want to raise thousands and thousands of pounds to help the young men and women of Warrington who want to seek a career in the arts and create a legacy to River.

“Hopefully a lot of good can come out of something horrendously horrible.”

The River Reeves Foundation has been set up to support young musicians and those involved in the performing arts, who need financial support to help them overcome the many barriers to fulfilling their dreams and which Viola Beach also faced in their too-short musical careers.

It is a hardship trust that can support all manner of personal causes linked to the performing arts and it is a fantastic legacy for River.

Donations can still be made online here https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/RivsRiders2016CycleChallenge