A COMMEMORATION will be held later this month for what would have been a popular football coach’s 30th birthday.

Adam Rogers died in July 2009 at the age of 24 after he was punched once while trying to break up a fight in Blackburn town centre.

His parents, Pat and Dave, set up the Lancashire Telegraph-backed anti-violence charity Every Action Has Consequences in the aftermath of Adam’s death.

Adam, of Dukes Brow, Blackburn, was a coach at Padiham Ladies' Football Club when he was killed by one punch from William Upton, from Rishton.

His family have arranged a month-long fundraising event culminating on September 23, when Adam, a former student at St Bede’s RC High School and St Mary’s College, would have turned 30.

Every school in Lancashire, Bolton and Cumbria has been given stickers, which depict a smiling face, as part of the Smile Some Miles for Adam awareness campaign.

Pat, Adam’s mum, said: “In 2008 Adam worked down in London for a coach company taking commuters for part of their journey on coaches because of work being done on the Docklands Light Railway Service. He was a team leader and he noticed no one smiled or said ‘hello’. He told his team they needed to get people smiling.

“Adam and his colleagues all started to smile and say ‘hello’ and gradually the eye contact was made and the smiles started to appear and the silent, blank-faced commuters became smiling, happy-faced people.”

She added: “Adam was well-known for his smile and the idea is that people will go out of their way to be nice to others with their smile and post pictures of them wearing their stickers on Facebook to share Adam’s story and raise awareness of our work.”

A dinner to mark the fifth anniversary of Adam’s death, due to be held at Dunkenhalgh Hotel, Clayton-le-Moors on September 19, has been cancelled.

To make a donation, text ADAM24£1 (or whatever amount you wish to donate eg ADAM24£5) to 70070.