160 APPEAL; Always up for a challenge

Eight teams faced one another in the Rotary Club of Swindon North’s second annual swimathon, which saw them cover as many lengths as possible relay-style in 55 minutes at Next Generation in Kembrey Park at the end of April.

The group presented the Wroughton charity with a cheque for £3,676 – more than £1,000 over their initial target.

“The Rotary Club has supported Prospect ever since it has existed,” said Rotarian Ken Winslow. “We don’t give money every year but we felt it was time to support them again. We have kept close contact with Prospect over the years and we appreciate the work they do.”

•  FOOTBALLERS put the England team to shame at a five-a-side-tournament in aid of terminally-ill patients last summer.

  No fewer than 31 teams from Croft Junior FC succeeded in raising a huge £1,000 at the two-day contest in June which saw them go head to head with 50 groups from around Wiltshire.

  The stakes were high but even through tough encounters, players’ determination to reach their fundraising target never wavered.

  “We had about 560 children there,” said Croft Junior FC secretary Mark Slade. “It went extremely well. We had a range of players from under-sevens right through to under-18s.

  “People at the club have used the facilities before and it’s a local charity that does extremely good work. It’s a charity close to us. And we will keep supporting them.”

  lTHEY waded through a sand storm, harsh terrain in 440 heat and fought off swarms of flies but no amount of difficulty could have dettered Hannah Soutar and Dani Moreton as they crossed the Sahara desert for Prospect Hospice.

  The childhood friends embarked on the gruelling five-day Sahara Trek in October, collecting £7,000 for the charity which cared for their father and mother respectively through a terminal illness.

  “It’s really difficult to put our experience into words,” said Dani, 26, of the town centre. “It was challenging. We had to walk through a sandstorm and that was really hard. We had to cover our mouths because it was so dusty. It was the hardest thing we’ve done.”

  Hannah, 27, of Stratton, added: “It was really hard, but it was incredible. The best part was watching the sun go down sat on sand dunes, sleeping under the stars and watching the sun rise.”

  The inseparable friends were brought even closer by their connection to Prospect and the parent they each lost to cancer.

  Hannah’s father Trevor died aged 50 in March 2002 after a drawn-out battle with bowel cancer. Dani lost her mother Marie to primary lymphoma of the brain in June last year. She was 58.

  Through the difficult days and exhaustion, the memory of those they lost much too soon was their driving force.

  “Thinking about them kept us going but it was not until we landed in the UK that it really hit,” added Hannah. “Dani gave me a hug and I burst into tears.”

• LEIGHTON Freeman freefell from 10,000ft in May, in memory of his late father and ‘skydiver spotter’.

  Dave Freeman’s health swiftly deteriorated after being diagnosed with mesothelioma in July 2013, a rare cancer caused by his exposure to asbestos, and the plumbing and heating engineer became homebound.

  But even from the comfort of his garden in Stratton, the former STFC reserve player continued to observe skydivers taking the plunge for Prospect Hospice – the charity which cared for him through his illness – at the nearby Redlands Airfield through his binoculars.

  Dave, who always wished he had given it a try himself, died in December 2013 at the age of 65.

  His son Leighton took a leap of faith for his dad at the end of May securing more than £7,577 for the appeal.

  “Dad often said to me that he wished he’d done a skydive and enjoyed whiling away a few hours watching the skydivers either at Redlands Airfield or from the comfort of his back garden,” he said.

  “When I saw that the Prospect Hospice, who provided pain control for dad after his diagnosis and also cared for him during his admission during December 2013, were arranging a Parachute for Prospect day, I felt that it was fate and was compelled to register.”

  The father-of-two from Cardiff was joined by friends Craig Waldron and Steve Graham for the big jump.

  Dave’s widow Janet was delighted with her son’s decision to skydive and pay one last tribute to his father.

  “Dave used to watch the skydivers come down with his binoculars.

  “His health deteriorated very quickly. We had a lot of support from Prospect. A kind lady from Prospect called Sue Dunn helped us. I could phone her and she dealt with all the pain-control and if Dave had a bad night she would come out to see us. We needed help quickly and she was excellent. Knowing someone was there 24/7 was very reassuring.”

• COLLEAGUES with a shared taste for thrills threw themselves from a plane 10,000ft above ground for Prospect Hospice last spring.

  Rob Merrett and seven of his colleagues from international oil and gaspipe inspection firm TD Williamson joined hundreds of daredevils at a skydive day over Redlands Airfield for the charity.

  Their courage and, as some may call it, madness, paid off as they received £1,350 in sponsorships.

  Rob, 54, suggested taking on the challenge after taking part in a similar event more than two decades ago.

  He said: “I thought it might be an idea to do it to raise some money to support the Prospect Hospice.

  “It was pleasing that so many people here were crazy enough to say yes. When you mention Prospect it always helps.”

  He added: “In the plane you basically sit in your instructor’s lap, and just before you jump he sits on the edge of the plane and you are pretty much dangling in the air out of the plane at 10,000 feet, which is quite interesting.

  “Then it is 30 seconds of freefall.

  “And then your instructor taps you on the shoulder and pulls the shoot, and from then it’s a very peaceful journey and there are amazing views.”

• STAFF at Wilson Tool hopped on their bikes, smashing their fundraising record in aid of the 160 Appeal.

  The team, which took part in individual sponsored cycles, collected £4,000 for their efforts – the highest amount raised to date for Prospect Hospice.

  Their less adventurous colleagues helped boost them reach the target with summer fairs and bake sales.

  Staff at independent manufacturer Wilson Tool in South Marston donated the sum to the Wroughton charity.

  “I think Prospect touches a lot of people in Swindon and in the company,” said Trevor Davies, head of human resources at Wilson Tool. “Over the year we have raised £16,000 for Prospect but £4,000 is our highest total.

  “People have been very generous here especially with raffles. We have also sent people out to be marshals for the Starlight Walk and charged for teas and coffees and donated the money to Prospect.

  “We have not held big events but we have introduced small initiatives over the years to increase the total raised. Everything helps.”

• CHILDHOOD friends Matt Luker and Mike Francis’s stamina was put to the test as they pedalled their way to Paris to ensure the future of end-of-life care in Swindon.

  The pair drew on every ounce of strength and willpower they possessed to complete the 300-mile journey from London to the French capital.

  They succeeded in raising no fewer than £3,000 for the 160 Appeal and the hospice which cared for Matt’s mother Karen until she died of ovarian cancer in January 2013.

  “We wanted to do this together for the Prospect Hospice,” said Matt, 25, of North Swindon. “They supported my mum for six years. It is really difficult to imagine going through everything we, as a family, have gone through without the Prospect Hospice. We wanted to ensure that the level of service me and my family received is continued for people going through these stresses in their life now.”

  Matt and Mike set off on July 23, reaching the French capital the following Saturday.

  “Through the six years the Prospect Hospice was with us to support both my mum and my family,” he added. “My mum also got assigned someone that she could meet on a weekly basis and have a coffee and discuss how things were going and what challenges she was facing and to also provide informative information every step of the way.”

• NEWS of the sudden death of her friend came as a crushing blow, but filled Suzi Carthy with renewed determination to complete the Oxford Half Marathon in her memory.

  Seven years ago the Nationwide analyst was diagnosed with breast cancer at the same time as her friend Rebecca Rowland, or Becky as she knew her. Together, they beat the disease successfully, until it returned in the form of brain tumours.

  While Suzi’s tumour was operable, 49-year-old Becky was not as fortunate.

  Inspired by her resolve not to give up, Suzi signed up to the Oxford Half Marathon and raise valuable funds for Prospect Hospice, where the BID manager for inSwindon was receiving care.

  But Becky passed away on October 8, four days before the challenge, at the Wroughton hospice with her two daughters by her side.

  Her death made Suzi even more resolved to raise money for the hospice and push through the pain during the taxing race. She was able to secure £1,000 in sponsorships for the 160 Appeal.

  “It was quite emotional running in her memory,” said the 44-year-old from Faringdon. “But when I found out she had died, it made me what to do it even more. I just tried to take a bit of her strength and bravery. What she had to face was very difficult.

  “It was a bit of a slog the last three miles. The pain kicked in a little bit and my legs were sore. But I thought ‘I can really finish these last few miles for her’.

  “I thought about her when it got difficult and what she went through. What I had to face was nothing compared to what she faced.”

• KIND-hearted in-laws have raked up nearly £6,000 for the 160 Appeal ahead of a gruelling 500km bike ride across India.

  Caroline Hull and her brother-in-law Richard Adams will attempt the daunting cycle across Rajasthan, her father’s homeland, next October.

  But the pair have been extremely busy fundraising over the past few months, in a bid to meet the 160 Appeal’s fundraising deadline.

  With a bed push, collections aplenty, a pamper evening and thanks to a popular darts competition, Caroline raised more than £3,400 for the hospice which cared for her mother Dorothy L’Estrange in her hour of need. Richard reached £2,100 in November – and donations are still pouring in.

  Caroline’s mother was 76 years old when she succumbed to bowel cancer seven years ago.

  “My mum never went into the hospice but they were there for her at home,” said the deputy manager of the Spotted Cow at Coate. “They were always there for the family. You don’t know what to do, you have not been through it before and they’re there to help.

  “When it comes down to the end of your life, you are scared and it’s an emotional time. The simplest thing they say or do makes a big difference to you and your family.

  “I think that if you’ve been through it yourself, you feel like you need to help others.”

• JUST two months after their head of house lost his wife to bowel cancer, Sam Downe’s loyal pupils embarked on a mission to raise funds for the hospice which supported her through a terminal illness.

  Following the sad news, the Pinewood School in Bourton, Shrivenham, surprised the 33-year-old by competing in a World Cup-themed football tournament which collected a remarkable £1,765 for Prospect.

  Sam’s wife Isabel passed away at the hospice in April at the age of 35, leaving a 14-month-old son, Arthur.

  “Sadly the school has a number of children whose parents or relations have been at Prospect and my wife passed away of bowel cancer there at the end of April,” said Sam, of Wanborough. “It was the children’s choice to raise money for Prospect. I think they did it to support me and other members of the community who have been through it. I was touched when they said they wanted to do it for Prospect.

  “Personally I was not aware of the work Prospect do until I had first hand experience of it,” he said. “I would not wish this to happen to anybody but having been through it I know they do an amazing job there. They are so compassionate, thoughtful and professional.”

• BROTHERS wrestled with mud and crawled their way to victory in memory of their aunt, whose fortitude was an inspiration to all.

  Dan and Matt Cook along with friend Dan Vaughan joined fellow challengers at the Tough Mudder in Cirencester on August 16 for Prospect Hospice, where their aunt Sharon Blackmore spent her last days, two years ago. She was 50 years old.

  Their determination and uncanny ability to dodge obstacles paid off as they received £797 pounds of donations.

  Dan Cook, 22, of Wroughton, said: “Two years ago, on August 15 my aunt passed away in the hospice. It was far too soon.

  “Although it was a very difficult time for all family and friends losing such an inspirational figure, the point still remains that we all would not have chose anywhere else for Sharon's last moments.”

  The Wiltshire Police employee added: “It is an incredible place for people to spend their last moments of their life.

  “The staff are so friendly and understanding. They allowed my mother, Naomi and Ella to stay overnight with Sharon. We could not be more thankful for all that the Prospect Hospice has done.”