Harrogate cancer survivor walks 500 miles for charity in a month

A Harrogate woman who battled cancer during the coronavirus pandemic has walked more than 500 miles in a month to raise money for the charities that supported her.

Lucy Hind was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2019 and after months of treatment is on the recovery path.

Now she is feeling better, she has started to take on various challenges to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support and Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity.

At the time of publication she has raised £5,435. Her fundraising target is £7,500 and she is likely to achieve it as pledges continue to roll in. You can donate here.

The first major challenge Lucy set herself was a mammoth walk of 500 miles. Most of the walks, at around 16 miles a day, were in Yorkshire but some also took place in Manchester and Scotland.

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Joined by various friends along the way, including Lesley Jepson, she has managed to beat the original 500-mile target and looked set to reach a total of 520 miles on the last day today.

On her final walk in Bramley, near Leeds, with Kirkstall Abbey in her eyeline, Lucy told the Stray Ferret:

“We are walking the last of our walks today. We reached the 500 miles yesterday but we had another day in the month to go so we are out again.

“Before we started we thought it would be really difficult. We may have some blisters and sore limbs but when we are out walking we feel fantastic.

“These charities are so important to so many people. That’s why I want to keep going with these challenges and raise as much money as I can. I plan to finish only in 2024.”

Harrogate cyclist rides 288 miles in under 24 hours

A Harrogate cyclist has completed a 288-mile charity bike ride in under 24 hours in memory of his aunt.

Simon Gregory embarked on his journey on Friday and raised over £11,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

His journey took him from Harrogate to Southampton. He smashed his 24-hour target, arriving at his destination with over 2 hours to spare.

https://twitter.com/MacmillanYorks/status/1406171644691992579

Simon completed his fundraiser in memory of his aunt, Reverend Ruth Scott, who died from cancer in February 2019.

She was a presenter on BBC Radio 2 show Pause for Thought for 25 years and one of the first female vicars in the country.

She embarked on similar challenges, including cycling from Rome to Jerusalem without any training.

Simon chose the charity Macmillan Cancer Support as it supported his aunt during her illness.

You can still donate here.

 

Harrogate cyclist prepares to pedal 300 miles in 24 hours

A cyclist from Harrogate is preparing to embark on a mammoth challenge this month to raise money in memory of his aunt.

Simon Gregory will attempt to cycle 288 miles in just 24 hours to raise £10,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Simon’s aunt, Reverend Ruth Scott, died from cancer in February 2019.

She was a presenter on the BBC Radio 2 show Pause for Thought, along with Terry Wogan and Chris Evans for 25 years, and was one of the first female vicars.

Simon said he was inspired by his aunt’s charitable nature and her similar physical challenges; she once cycled from Rome to Jerusalem with little training.

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Last weekend Simon held a fundraiser in Harrogate and raised nearly £1,000 in one day.

He said of the money raised;

“It would cover specialist care nurses, and support for others whose loved ones have cancer. Macmillan provided my aunt and her husband huge support and we couldn’t have got through it without them.”

Macmillan’s funding has been cut drastically over the course of the pandemic, receiving £10 million less over the past year than in previous years.

His journey is mapped out from Harrogate to Southampton on June 18.  Besides his brother Paul, who plans to meet him at regular checkpoints, he will make the journey on his own.

Simon will have to cycle an average of almost 12.5 miles an hour for 24 hours to hit his target.

He has several strategies in place to ensure safety during his journey, including regular 10-minute intervals for drinking and a strict rule of consuming 75 grams of carbohydrates every hour.

Donations to Simon Gregory’s fundraiser can be made by clicking here.

TV presenter supports Harrogate school’s charity joke book

A Harrogate prep school has launched a charity book to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support after one of its students completed his cancer treatment.

Highfield Prep School wanted to celebrate head boy Ralph Tasker’s end of treatment whilst raising money for the charity.

The Highfield Joke Book is packed full of jokes written by the pupils covering everything from food to animals.

Channel 4 presenter Sandi Toksvig, star of the Great British Bake Off and QI, loved the idea of the book and wrote a humorous foreword. She said:

“People have always had it in common that we could do with a laugh. I think a day without laughter is like a day without biscuits.

“It’s also a double whammy of a winner because not only will it do you good, it will also raise money for Macmillan so even people who haven’t read it will feel better. How marvellous. Well done”.

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The pupils have already raised £2,000 for Macmillan through fundraising events held last term on ‘Ralph Day’. They now hope they can boost this will the sale of the joke book.

The book will be on sale within the school for £5, with at least £4 from each copy going to Macmillan.

Harrogate sixth former raises £5,000 in virtual concert for Macmillan

A Harrogate sixth form pupil has raised almost £5,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support after hosting and performing in her own virtual concert.

Niamh Boyle, 17, staged her first concert for the charity, which supported her aunt and uncle in their final days, in 2018.

That event raised £12,000 and now Niamh has generated another significant sum for Macmillan from her second concert, which was held online and included performances from current and former Ashville pupils.

Niamh editing the performances during her school holidays before broadcasting them on her Youtube channel in September.

She has far exceeded her £3,000 target.

Niamh said:

“It just goes to show that Macmillan is a charity close to so many hearts.

“I hope that we can do a live one again next time. I can’t wait to do more for this amazing charity.”

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The concert included 25 songs from musicals. Niamh performed in three solos and three duets.

Adele Burrough, fundraising manager for Macmillan, said Niamh’s efforts would help people living with cancer, adding:

“Niamh’s remarkable efforts have also made sure that cancer doesn’t become the ‘forgotten C’ during this pandemic.

“Right now, there are around 179,000 people living with cancer across Yorkshire. When coronavirus hit, thousands of vital cancer treatments and appointments were postponed or cancelled.”

Ripon schoolgirl smashes charity fundraising target

When Lacey Dyason decided to take part in the Brave the Shave challenge for Macmillan Cancer Support, she hoped to raise £500.

At the time of publication, the eight-year-old pupil of Ripon Cathedral Church of England Primary School had raised more than £1,900 and counting.

As well as joining in the nationwide event to bring in funds for Macmillan, Lacey also supported the Little Princess Trust, a charity that provides real hair wigs to children with cancer.

Saks Hair Salon in High Skellgate, which works with the trust, was the setting for Lacey’s hair cut and shave, watched by her mother and father Louise and Barry, with support from grandparents Doreen and Stewart Ellis.

Photo of Samantha Waggitt preparing to cut Lacey Dyason's hair

Hairstylist Samantha Waggitt prepares to cut Lacey’s long her

The double gesture, from one of the youngest people in the UK to take part in Brave the Shave won the hearts of many in the city.

Steven Holmes, headteacher of Lacey’s school, wrote in the school’s newsletter:

“We are so impressed with her loving attitude and the way that Lacey is aspiring to be the best person she can be.”

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On Lacey’s Macmillan fundraising page, the Mayor of Ripon, Councillor Eamon Parkin, said:

“Well done you brave young lady, we are very proud of you.”

Similar comments have flooded in from 69 donors, whose donations ranging from £5 to £100 mean Lacey has raised almost four times her original target.

With her fundraising page,  Lacey’s Brave the Shave, still open, it looks certain that she will exceed £2,000.

So what does Lacey think of her new look?

She told the Stray Ferret:

“I was a bit shocked when I looked in the mirror, but I think it’s ok.”

Grandmother Doreen, who was among those who attempted to dissuade Lacey from having her head shaved, pointed out:

“Along with Barry and Louise, I tried to talk her out of it, but she was determined. We are so proud of her.”

Barry, added:

“We were absolutely amazed by the generosity of all the donors and would like to say a big thank you to everybody who has supported her.”

Lacey doesn’t have to worry about feeling the colder autumn weather.

Louise, said:

“It was her birthday earlier this month and among her presents, she received seven woolly hats – one for every day of the week!”