Former Royal Navy fitness instructor and founder of Verity's Gift from Havant to join Queen's Baton Relay 2022

Havant resident George Turner set up the charity Verity’s Gift to honour his wife, who died at the age of 33 from a subarachnoid haemorrhage in 2018.

The family’s story inspired a huge outpouring of support, raising more than £85,000 to fund a complete renovation of an Emsworth play area, which was used by Verity when she was a child and by her own daughter, Harriet.

Now George will take on the baton in his wife’s memory as he takes part in the relay through the area as part of the Commonwealth Games celebrations next month.

The 50-year-old said: ‘It was a bit of a shock and a great surprise. It was one of my clients that nominated me.

‘I had a very dark time after losing Verity. Athletics has been my life since I was a small child, and in the armed forces I competed at all levels, and I have always been an avid watcher of every Olympics and every Commonwealth Games. So to get this, it’s such an amazing thing, it’s an emotional thing – and I dedicate it to Verity.

‘It’s an immense honour and I know the British public will get behind the event – I can’t wait.’

It comes as Verity’s Gift looks to renovate the basketball courts in Emsworth Park, off Horndean Road.

The dad-of-one said: ‘‘The basketball courts in the next big project. We’re still in the early stages, getting quotes in. We’re fundraising but it is pretty tough with the economic climate we are in.

‘It gave me something to focus on, and now Verity’s Gift has just snowballed. My idea was to give something back to the community. We’re now bereavement counselling in schools, we give money to groups like Brownies through a community grant scheme.’

He added: ‘My daughter is now the face of the charity, and she’s very proud.

‘When I told her I’d be taking part in the relay, she was beaming.’