1:40pm Tuesday 16th March 2010
By Manisha Mistry
THE sound of blues and rock echoed across Harpenden during a charity gig set up in memory of a brother and sister who lost their lives to a rare genetic disease.
Harpenden Rocks was staged on Saturday, March 13, in memory of Caroline and Gregory Poupard by their life-long friend Anjali Rundle.
Caroline, 23 and Gregory, 26, both suffered from Ataxia Telangiectasia (A-T), a complex genetic disease which causes severe disability in children and premature death.
More than 200 people packed out Harpenden's British Legion for the concert from which £1,300 was raised in aid of Rothamsted-based charity the A-T Society.
Anjali, who organised the gig to celebrate her friendship with the people she lost, said: “It was a truly amazing night. I am so grateful to the Lions and the A-T Society and to the many people who worked so hard to make this event a huge success.
“My initial aim was to organise a gig to raise some money and raise awareness of the work the A-T Society, due to my personal friendship with the founders of the organisation.
“Gregory and Caroline were my close childhood friends and both had the rare disorder Ataxia Telangiectasia.
“Both sadly passed away in their twenties and this gig was my way of paying tribute both to them and to their parents, who were instrumental in setting up a national charity supporting sufferers and their families from their home in Harpenden.”
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