James Henderson's friends in 'legacy' appeal for boxing club

James Henderson was among seven aid workers who died in an Israeli attack.

Friends of a British aid worker killed by an air strike in Gaza are fundraising to help a local boxing club where he was a member.

James Henderson was among seven aid workers who died in the Israeli attack.

He was a member of Falmouth and Penryn Boxing Club in Cornwall which is renovating a new gym and renaming itself after Mr Henderson.

Harry James-Mills, who grew up with Mr Henderson, said: "It's a legacy that feels very important for us."

James Henderson followed boxing avidly his friends said

Former Royal Marine Mr Henderson, 33, who grew up in Penryn, died in the air strike on 1 April which also killed Britons John Chapman and James Kirby, as well as Australian, Palestinian, American-Canadian and Polish nationals.

The group of World Central Kitchen aid workers had just unloaded more than 100 tonnes of food aid and the convoy's movements had been co-ordinated with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), according to the charity.

• Who were the seven aid workers killed in Gaza?

• What we know about the aid convoy strike

• Charity halts Gaza work after strike kills staff

• Britons killed in Gaza remembered as heroes

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described the attack as unintended and "tragic", and promised an independent investigation.

Mr James-Mills, who knew Mr Henderson since the age of seven, said: "Since his death it's been so interesting to see how far his reach was with so many people.

"He had his school friends, his boxing friends, his Marine friends, his friends through his work and all of those people actually really feel a strong connection with him.

"We just had our Jimmy and it's quite beautiful to see how much he meant to so many people."

John Chapman, James Kirby and James Henderson were working as security and safety advisors

His friends realised "we're not going to be able to change what happened to Jimmy", said Mr James-Mills.

So they looked to the local community and "what we can change positively" and agreed to help the boxing club.

The club, which has been open for 17 years, is run by volunteers.

The aim is to "raise money for years to come in Jimmy's name", he said.

Harry James-Mills: James was a "great, great man"

Mr Henderson "made everyone around him feel like a leader," he added.

"He had this ability to kind of like, keep us together, make us feel safe.

"And we had a lot of fun, he followed his boxing avidly.

"None of us were brave enough to join him, we did a few times, but we're not as tough as Jimmy was."

Mr Henderson was a "really loving" man "and at the same time, he was super masculine", he said.

"And he had that beautiful balance where, he was he was just a great, great man."