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11 April 2018
Vol 25 ● Issue 15
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Awards double for Community Restart Team
AMY’S MARATHON MISSION IN MEMORY OF MUM Report by Danielle Thompson THE daughter of a cancer nurse, who was herself struck down by a rare form of the disease, is hoping to raise thousands of pounds in her late mum’s memory in this year’s London Marathon. Occupational therapist Amy Fletcher from Tarleton is aiming to raise more than £4,000 when she takes on the gruelling 26-mile run on Sunday, April 22 as part of a national team representing the charity Sarcoma UK. She is running in honour of her mum Sarah Lennon, a nurse who passed away in October aged 61 from a rare type of cancer which affects the tissues that connect, support and surround the body’s structures and organs. Sarah had an operation in 2012 to remove affected cartilage and initially recovered but she was told her cancer had returned in March last year and was terminal. Amy brought forward her Lake District wedding to partner Andy, making all the
remove the taboo around the subject in society. She has already raised around £3,000 through a series of fundraisers and bake sales and hopes to raise at least £1,000 more. And she has been training hard for the marathon, undertaking the Lytham St Anne’s 10-mile run, the Great North West Half Marathon and the Trimpell 20-mile run – all while listening to her mum’s favourite songs. She told the Champion: “I'm still riding the waves of grief but running is helping. I feel there is a tragic irony in mum being a cancer nurse and experiencing this too. “I'll never know how many lives she Amy with her mum on her wedding day helped but I want to create a lasting legacy to reflect how wonderful she was. arrangements in just six weeks so that her “I also want to raise awareness as talking mum could share their special day in July. about grief, death and dying was Sarah, who had spent more than 10 something Mum felt passionate about. years as a specialist breast cancer nurse at “Having chemotherapy or radiotherapy Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust help- wasn’t an option for mum and by raising ing many patients and families through money for her I’m hoping new research the hardest times of their lives, passed projects can be funded and new treatment away at Queenscourt Hospice in October. options explored. I’m appealing to people Now 30-year-old Amy wants to raise that knew mum to help raise vital funds. funds for Sarcoma UK but also wants Continued inside people to talk more about death to try to
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West Lancs Town Crier Don Evans with members of Skelmersdale Prize Band who gave him a surprise rendition of Happy Birthday outside his home
Band’s birthday surprise for town crier Don WEST Lancs Town Crier Don Evans is used to making public proclamations but he was surprised to receive a public proclamation of sorts himself when the Skelmersdale Prize Band rolled up outside his home to perform an 80th birthday tribute for him! Don Evans, who has been the borough’s town crier since 2001, was delighted by the surprise on Saturday (April 7) which had been organised by his grandson, Peter and kept secret. “It was absolutely amazing, nobody said a thing about it.” As well as playing Happy Birthday, the band also served up renditions of Celebrations, For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow, and other old favourites which Don enjoyed singing along to as neighbours came out of their
homes to witness the spectacle. Originally from Lydiate, Don moved to Skelmersdale with wife Alice 32 years ago. He has had a varied career, including being a police officer, a publican, a driving instructor, a tool maker, and a school tech teacher! These days, as well as his role as town crier which involves him in all kinds of civic and private functions, he also makes children’s toys to donate to good causes. And despite heading into his 80s and having had two knee replacements in the last year, he has no intention of hanging up his town crier’s bells, of which he has 12. “My am is to be the oldest town crier in the country - I must be one of the oldest ones now!
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