How we all remembered our Seychelles hero Gerard Hoarau
![Team players: Lewis Betsy and Tim Jackson at the grave of Gerard Hoarau in Hounslow](http://www.seychelleslife.co.uk/sites/www.seychelleslife.co.uk/uploads/images/news/2023/12/1_tim_jackson_with_lewis.jpg)
By Lewis Betsy
The life and sacrifice of national hero Gerard Hoarau has been honoured in the UK and Seychelles.
In the UK on November 29 – the day of his death– we remembered Gerard at his grave in at the New Brentford Cemetery in Hounslow, Middlesex.
Among those paying tribute to Gerard was Tim Jackson, a former player in the Rovers Team of Seychelles in 1975. As a reminder of those glory days we have a photograph of the team featuring Tim, Gerard and myself.
In Seychelles, a Mass was held by The Gerard Hoarau Foundation at the Immaculate Conception in Victoria, Seychelles, on Saturday 25th November.
On behalf of Seychelles Life, we thank Father Colin Underwood for presiding over the Mass.
Gerard was a dedicated campaigner for democracy as well as a talented footballer and a great friend of mine. He was assassinated outside his home in Edgware, North London on November 29, 1985. His killer has never been brought to justice.
![On top of their game: Tim Jackson, ringed left, Lewis Betsy and Gerard Hoarau in 1975](http://www.seychelleslife.co.uk/sites/www.seychelleslife.co.uk/uploads/images/news/2023/12/2_tim_lewis_and_gerard_1975-76.jpg)
![Tribute: Juliana Betsy with Tim Jackson](http://www.seychelleslife.co.uk/sites/www.seychelleslife.co.uk/uploads/images/news/2023/12/3_tim_jackson_with_juliana.jpg)
![Poignant: Gerard’s grave decorated with flowers](http://www.seychelleslife.co.uk/sites/www.seychelleslife.co.uk/uploads/images/news/2023/12/4_gerard_graveside_1.jpg)
![Honour: Father Colin Underwood takes the Mass in Seychelles](http://www.seychelleslife.co.uk/sites/www.seychelleslife.co.uk/uploads/images/news/2023/12/5_colin_underwood.jpg)
![Remembering: The congregation at the service in Seychelles](http://www.seychelleslife.co.uk/sites/www.seychelleslife.co.uk/uploads/images/news/2023/12/6_mass_1.jpg)
![Full line-up of the Rovers in the 1975-76 season. From left to right standing: Tim Jackson, Terry Sandapin, Lewis Betsy, Max Racombo, Basil Savy, Wingette Mondon, George Constance, Player Botsoie, Egbert Durup. Front row: Tornio Mend, Gerard Hoarau, Jim Pouponeau, Philip Kilindo, Tony Hoareau, Jeffers Delpeche](http://www.seychelleslife.co.uk/sites/www.seychelleslife.co.uk/uploads/images/news/2023/12/7_lewis_team_1975.jpg)