Students will receive financial help to buy books and other essestial equipment’

The family of a Queens Park electrician who was gunned down outside a takeaway shop have set up a trust fund to ‘honour his legacy’.

The Daniel Omari Smith Trust will fund youngsters who wish to become electricians in honour of the 22-year-old who died in May last year.

Mr Smith was shot outside KFC in Harrow Road, Paddington, while picking up a takeaway for his family.

At the time of his tragic death Mr Smith, a former student of the College of North West London (CNWL) and Newman Catholic College in Harlesden, was in the process of setting up his own business.

His mother Winnie Smith, sisters Cherell, 24, and 19-year-old Leanne and other grieving relatives including his girlfriend, established the trust after deciding that his legacy should live on.

His mother said: “Our dream is to promote the positivity that Daniel represented; he was never the type to hang around on street corners.

“We want people to be inspired by him and for his legacy to encourage them to get away from the destructive paths that youths often go down.”

Money raised by the trust will help third year students at the CNWL buy books and essential equipment.

Ms Smith added: “Daniel was so passionate about his work and trade so by helping others we hope we can achieve something for him.

“In this day and age higher education fees are so extravagant and people are struggling so we want to assist wherever we can.

“Everybody that we have come across so far has been extremely positive and think this is a great idea.”

Last month, Mr Smith’s family attended his former school to help celebrate Cultural Diversity Day and publicise the trust.

Pat Leavey, Head of Faculty for Technology at CNWL praised the scheme.

He said: “The Daniel Omari Smith Trust is a fitting tribute to someone who was a first class student here at the College and was and still is a fantastic role model to aspiring young people.

“Out of such a tragedy we believe that through this trust some good can come, and we as a college are looking into ways that we can contribute and work with Daniel’s family to make it a very positive force in the local community.”