Dozens attend memorial for George Smith in Grahame Park (From Times Series)

Dozens attend memorial for George Smith in Grahame Park

12:00pm Wednesday 25th November 2009

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A BENEFIT evening has helped raise hundreds of pounds for the children of a Barnet man believed murdered.

Around 30 friends and family of 60-year-old George Smith, attended the race night and karaoke evening at his former haunt the Hind and Hart pub in The Concourse, Grahame Park.

Money raised from Saturday's event is going towards Christmas presents for George's three children, 15-year-old Mario, Lauren 14 and Dillon, 12.

His ex-wife Judy thanked everyone who attended the evening to remember the former decorator who disappeared from his Finch Close home in August. His body has not been found.

She said: “I'm really, really grateful for this. I really appreciate just being able to say goodbye to George and the whole family really appreciate this.

“He's a huge loss to me and my children, we still feel like he's still here, I don't know how to explain it.

“We know we'll probably never be able to say goodbye properly so this is our chance. All these people turning up really means so much to me and the children.”

George's friend Dessie Simington helped to organise the event, and said bad weather had stopped several people from attending.

He said: “When this tragedy happened we said we have just got to do something. We’re trying to give his kids a happier Christmas if that is possible.

“George was always a very jovial character, he had a nice quiet disposition and always enjoyed a joke. This was a fitting way to say goodbye to him.”

Niece Zahra Smith was laid low with Swine Flu and could not attend the event, but said the family is planning to plant a Weeping Willow tree at a favourite spot of George’s at Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire.

She said: “It is carrying on his memory, we don’t have anything else, there is no body or grave, but we can plant a tree.”

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