Running, karate, continued fund raising & more of the never ending, lovely memories of Huw ♥♥♥

As we move into winter, there’s still plenty to report from the Huw Thatcher Trust, and it seems to me that there will continue to be a lot to say about how so many people want to remember Huw and support brain injured people. In the last month, the total raised by the Trust has reached nearly £70,000 and will pass that total when the karate charity challenge has taken place on 16th December.

Over £400 was received from Upperthong Cricket Club this month in proceeds from the summer raffle, and also £300 from the sale of a signed Steve Waugh cricket shirt which was won by Chris Churm in a raffle and then sold on for £300 when it was handed back to the Trust by Chris. Chris is also in the process of kindly arranging the donation of materials from his employer (a landscape gardener) for use at Osman House to enhance the garden area that Huw’s Trust has already contributed to. Thank you so much for the generosity from Chris and from everyone who supported the cricket club raffle.

One of the events to come early in the new year will involve Ben and Rose running the Great North West Run for a bullying charity and Huw’s Trust.  And now Mackie Mellor has entered too 🙂  This is an event with a field of 1100, and I have since entered so there will be a group of us travelling up to Blackpool on 24th February for the half marathon – I’ll be towards the rear but whatever happens I will definitely finish it and run all the way…….I’ll do anything for Huw ♥♥♥

I was really glad to receive a copy of the Disabilities Trust annual report a week ago (which is the overall charity for the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust and the Huw charity.) Reading it gave me even more of a sense of what a wide range of services are available and the implications of brain injuries. I was also delighted to see a section about the Huw Thatcher Trust and some photos which appear alongside some similar words of thanks for Harry Judd and Izzy Johnson who are also major fund raisers. The item appears on page 15 which is actually page 16 of the PDF file which you can view here.

Cardiff City have continued to lead the way in the Championship during November, with Carys and I going along to matches at Derby and Blackburn and me going on my own to the match at Barnsley but meeting with friends Rod, Greg, Maddy and Sue.  Huw went to each of these grounds over the years – seeing the Bluebirds at Barnsley on 4 occasions and at Derby twice.  At Blackburn it was to see a England in ladies international when Huw was 9.  At each of the matches Carys and I could easily recall visits with Huw – the players he admired, the banter he took part in, and of course the hot dogs he consumed. Every time we cheer a City goal it feels like we are cheering for Huw. Win, lose or draw………that will never change.

Finally I want to tell you about my trip to see Richard Ford in hospitbal. As I have mentioned before, Richard is a coach with one of the youngest age groups at Hepworth United and has always been a strong and fit guy but tragically experienced a brain stem stroke in June which has left him hospitalised and with very limited movement. Richard continues to fight and improve and I left the hospital thinking what a nice guy with a great sense of humour. I also left feeling sad about Richard and about Huw – but I also left feeling even more determined to continue to do what I can through the Huw Thatcher Trust. I will be committed to Huw’s charity every day of my life – and will ensure that some significant funds go to help Richard Ford with equipment or whatever that he needs as a result of his brain injury. In the first instance we will be doing this by raising funds at the Picturedrome gig on 13th July 2013. We had around 600 people at the gig in 2011 and 2012. With Richard’s friends and family it will comfortably be a 700 sell out in 2013.

Thank you for your continued friendship, generosity and kindness.  I notice so much that people are doing in their own different and personal ways in Huw’s name ♥♥♥