Category: Challenge Series

Pilates teacher Mark Leah is desperate to have a shave.

For the 10th year in a row he has grown a moustache for his Movember challenge.

As usual, he will delay taking a razor to his upper lip until mid-December to raise as much as possible for East Cheshire Hospice.

He has already raised more than £11,000 for the charity which cared for his late father-in-law George Calnun in 2009.

Then….Mark Leah before his Movember challenge.

The figure minus Gift Aid is about £9,200, so ideally he wants to take his total to over £10,000 this year.

Mark said: “My moustache is really itchy and I can’t wait to get rid of it. There’ve been times when I’ve reached for the razor, but realise I can’t use it.

“It never starts quickly but the more it grows and dafter it looks the more people ask me questions and hopefully donate.

“By leaving it until near Christmas it creates another talking point, which hopefully leads to extra donations.

“I might colour it, but my hair is bushy, bulky and coarse so isn’t easy to dye.”

Now…Mark Leah well on his way with his moustache.

Mark runs face-to-face classes at Trinity House and online and gets a reaction from pupils who generously donate.

He said: “They’re always curious and see a change weekly.  I’m going for a Magnum, or Mexican effect, but am not quite sure how it’ll turn out.”

He even grew his moustache back the first year to recreate the look for a Hospice publicity picture.

* To donate visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mark-leah1

Yoga teacher Denise Fraser-King describes herself as a ‘wimp’ but she walked where many others would not dare treading on hot coals.

Stepping over burning embers in a Firewalk at East Cheshire Hospice did not worry Denise after the ordeal she has faced over the last six months.

The sudden loss of husband Simon aged 62, in June turned her world upside down.

Simon, an IT consultant, died six weeks after he was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer which spread through his body.  His last eight days were in the care of the Hospice.

Denise Fraser-King (right) with her sister Jean Ham after their Firewalk.

Denise said: “Simon was fit and active and when the cancer came out of the blue it was a massive shock.

“You want the best for a loved one and we had to fight a lot of battles during his illness.

“But I didn’t have to do any of that once he went into the Hospice. I felt comfortable, knowing he was somewhere he was being looked after.

“It changed how everything was for us. The care was superb.  They were looking after me as well.

“As soon as he got there you see that, even though he was poorly, the burden had been taken off us both.

“They just held my hand basically, pushing me to look after myself as well. It was a Godsend at a time when basically you’re not even thinking in a logical way.

“You need other people to help you as much as possible. They see it every day and took over.

Simon King who was a patient at East Cheshire Hospice.

“It’s such a lovely place. The way it feels and everything they do for families.

“When I was told he was going into a Hospice, I thought ‘Oh, doom and gloom and I don’t fancy that.’

“The thought of everyone dying, but it doesn’t feel like that when you’re there. It felt pleasant and nice, with an uplifting atmosphere.”

Denise’s sister Jean Ham organised a dog show at her home in North Wales to raise funds for the Hospice.

Denise, a hynotherapy student, said: “Part of dealing with things is throwing yourself into something and that’s what I’ve been doing.

“I wanted to give something back. I’m a bit of a wimp, but the Firewalk didn’t bother me. It was a case of mind over matter.”

More than 30 firewalkers took part, including supporters from Adelphi Group Ltd.

* To donate to Denise’s fundraising visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/denise-fraser-king.

Dodging discarded supermarket trolleys was just one of the challenges facing brothers George and Tom Bentham on their coast-to-coast canoe challenge.

The pair counted 23 shopping trolleys on their 195-mile paddle in memory of their late father Mark.

They had to carry their canoe twice around large sections of drained canal under repair.

Tom (left) and George Bentham by the Humber Bridge, the finish line of their canoe adventure.

The brothers have raised £5,279 for East Cheshire Hospice from their nine-day adventure and a similar amount for Macmillan.

Both charities cared for Mark, from Broken Cross, who died of cancer in September 2019, aged 58.

The route went from near Lancaster to Preston, Manchester and into Yorkshire before ending under the Humber Bridge.

Tom said: “It wasn’t quite what we expected. We thought we’d suffer more from physical fatigue, but thankfully our training prepared us well.

Canoeists Tom (left) and George Bentham by an old canal lock gate in Lancashire.

“It was amazing to see how much the country changes. We saw kingfishers and counted herons, then through Manchester into Rochdale counted shopping trolleys.

“It was a relief to finish, but also sad. We flew towards the Humber Bridge with the tide, until it turned near the finish, which was our final challenge.

“We paddled 10-12 hours a day, with our legs, knees, backs and shoulders taking the strain.

“It was an emotional journey, and we want to thank our great sponsors and everyone else who helped us along the way, raising and donating money.

“That includes those en route who shared a story, or the change from their pockets.”

* To donate visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cacec.

The brothers will be sharing their story at the Hospice’s Winter Ball at Macclesfield Rugby Club on Friday, November 25.

No wonder Polly Booth felt like she was going round in a circle on her fundraising challenge.

That’s because she was, walking 110 miles over six days around the Cheshire Ring, a circuit of historic canals.

The route from Manchester to Marple, Northwich and Warrington, was all in a good cause.

Polly has raised more than £2,000 for East Cheshire Hospice which cared for her mum Linda.

Polly Booth with her mum Linda.

Linda, from Alderley Edge, died of bowel cancer last November, less than a week after her 70th birthday. She was looked after by the charity’s Hospice @Home team.

Polly said: “Mum was diagnosed in December 2020 and we struggled to get some health care services because of the knock-on effect of Covid.

“Her decline was rapid with her needs changing all the time, so getting care was quite hard and stressful.

“She wanted to stay at home and the women at the Hospice were just amazing. They came out to her every day for the last three weeks. They were there when we needed them most.

“That’s why I wanted to raise money for the Hospice to say thank you and to help other people benefit from their service.

“Our family will forever be indebted to the Hospice for their dignified care and even emotional support.”

Linda was a primary school teacher before she went on to teach children in care in non-mainstream schools for most of her career.

Polly and Linda Booth, who was cared for by Hospice @Home.

The Cheshire Ring takes in six canals – Macclesfield, Bridgewater, Trent and Mersey, Rochdale, Peak Forest and Ashton.

Polly, a project manager with the Environment Agency, said: “The walk was long and challenging, especially as I’m not used to hiking, but I wanted to do something quite hard.

“It was very peaceful, but I could barely walk for the last couple of days because of blisters and achy feet.

“The canal ring is 97 miles, but I covered 110 in total, including going to accommodation each night.

“Six days of walking along canal tow paths was a bit boring and samey after a while, though Marple Aquaduct was beautiful and I enjoyed visiting Anderson Boat Lift, near Northwich.

“I’m proud I completed this challenge for my lovely mum.”

* To donate visit justgiving.com/fundraising/cheshireringwalk

Bon voyage to brothers Tom and George Bentham who take the plunge on their coast-to-coast canoe challenge on Monday (Sept 12).

The pair have spent six months preparing for their gruelling 184-mile paddle in memory of their late father Mark, a keen sailor.

The Bentham brothers are hoping to raise £15,000 for East Cheshire Hospice and Macmillan which cared for Mark, from Broken Cross, who died of cancer in September 2019, aged 58.

Tom (left) and George Bentham who are canoeing across the country.

Neither had even sat in a canoe until they launched their ambitious Canoe Against Cancer challenge which saw them buy a second-hand vessel.

Their nine-day adventure starts at Glasson Dock, near Lancaster, where their dad learned to sail as a boy. He became a chef, cooking on private yachts around the world.

The itinerary includes Preston, Burscough, Manchester, Rochdale, Halifax, Wakefield and into the Humber.

A complex route involves four tidal rivers, canals, bridges, tunnels and aqueducts.

Tom, from South Park, Macclesfield, said: “Our training’s gone well and we’re up to doing the distance.

“We’ve had a few emotional training days learning about battling currents and head winds. I broke a paddle but manufacturers Bending Branches, who’d already donated two new ones, kindly sent a replacement.

“A tandem canoe needs synergy to balance up power and steering. We swap over in the front and back every 90 minutes.

“The front is effectively the engine and needs to put in a steady stroke rate, while the back does the steering.

“We’ve put in countless hours and miles of practice training on local canals and two blokes in a canoe in all weathers do draw attention.

“Lots of people have stopped for a chat, including two ladies last weekend who donated to the Hospice.

“It’s been nice hearing other stories about how the Hospice has been important for their loved ones and the feeling of community hospices create.

“It shows just how well-loved and how valued the Hospice is within the community and why it’s so important to make sure it’s there for everyone else when, or if, they need it.

“The hardest thing is going to be keeping up momentum day after day as fatigue builds up. We’ll be paddling for eight to nine hours each day, covering 22 miles on average.”

*  To sponsor the brothers email canoeagainstcancer@gmail.com or visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cacec.

Mortgage adviser Alison Darby will never forget how East Cheshire Hospice helped her family shortly after it opened in 1988.

Her auntie Jeanne Gleave, from Prestbury, was one of the charity’s first patients and died of breast cancer, aged 51.

So when Alison heard about Tom and George Bentham’s canoe challenge she decided to sponsor them through her company Alpha Mortgages.

Tom Bentham with Alison Darby, sponsor of a canoe challenge.  

Alison, from Adlington, said: “I’ve got a special place in my heart for the Hospice which was new and quite tiny when my auntie was there.

“I go walking by Macclesfield Canal and my mum’s from Morecambe, near the start of their canoe trip. I’ve also had family members affected by cancer, so it rang a lot of bells for me.

“I had to sponsor the brothers and am proud to do so, even though I don’t know them. Good on them for doing this challenge.

“I lost a parent myself and to have some good come out of it and do something in their honour is great. I know how proud their father would be. He obviously lives on in them.”

Alpha Mortgages is a corporate supporter for the Hospice, with Alison undertaking fundraising activities for several charities.

Other sponsors of the canoe adventure are Card Industry Professionals, Pacific West, MHM Pensions and Renforth and Goddard.

* An afternoon tea will be held at Hollin House Hotel, Bollington, on Sunday, Oct 2, to mark the end of the trip. For more details contact Hannah Bentham on 07964 701027.