More than £72,000 has been raised in memory of a popular York student who died after going missing following a night out.

Friends and family of Harvey Parker set up a crowd fundraiser after the 20-year-old's body was found in the River Thames in London.

They had initially hoped to raise £10,000 'in memory of our beautiful Harvey' but more than 3,000 donations quickly raised the sum to more than £72,000, and counting.

His friends and family said they had set up the fundraiser 'for people like Harvey'.

"Money raised will go to young queer support groups, neurodiverse and gender-diverse young people who would benefit from emotional or mental health support, and help support talented musicians from under-represented communities," they said.

"We want to send our thanks to everyone who can help us to support these causes, as a way to not only celebrate Harvey's life but to keep the memory of our beautiful Harvey alive."

Tributes, and supportive messages, have also been pouring in across social media. 

 

Mr Parker, who had been a student at the University of York, was last seen after leaving Heaven nightclub near Charing Cross railway station in Westminster, central London, at about 2.15am on Friday, December 17.

Prior to attending the LBGTQ+ club, it is understood the “kind and gentle” York student had been at a Lil Simz concert at the O2 Academy in Brixton.

The Metropolitan Police was alerted to reports of a body in the Thames near Embankment, central London, by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution at 11.51am on Tuesday. The force later confirmed the body was that of Mr Parker.

CCTV footage showed Mr Parker walking into Craven Street and then south towards the Embankment.  On Wednesday, the Metropolitan Police said that investigators had viewed CCTV near the Golden Jubilee Bridge and believe Mr Parker, who is a member of front of house staff at the Theatre Royal Stratford East, may have entered the water there.

As reported, the force said that there was nothing to suggest anyone else was involved.

To support the crowd fundraising visit here