Gogglebox brothers’ boost for charity

GOGGLEBOX stars the Siddiqui brothers took a turn around local fields when they headed this way as part of a challenge to run 100 miles in a week for two charities – one of which was Melbourne’s own me&dee.

Baasit and Raza Siddiqui, made famous by the Channel 4 programme on which the family has been a fixture for 10 years, took time to visit the offices of me&dee during their week of running

The brothers undertook to run 100 miles in a week from May 29, culminating in the Derby Ramathon They were also supporting Education Support, which supports teachers’ mental health and wellbeing

Children who are helped by me&dee were at the charity’s’s HQ to help wish Baasit and Raza all the best on their daily run together They were also joined by Derby North MP Amanda Solloway, and Melbourne’s Gemma Forster from business supporters Create Finance of Derby

Baasit said the week’s 100-mile target was not the first running challenge for the brothers, with both of them having previously completed a daily 10k run during the 31 days of August – a grand total of 192 miles

He said: “We do like to set ourselves challenges! I got back into running during Covid This is one of our hare-brained schemes! One of the causes we are running for is Education Support, which supports teachers with their mental health We really wanted to do what we could to help with that l Baasit and Raza Siddiqui with Laura and Richard Fortey after their run.

“We wanted to help a local charity as well We met Maria Hanson MBE, founder of me&dee, at the Derby 10k What we loved about it was that community feel, that me&dee is just a huge family ”

Raza added: “They are brilliant, and we just wanted to do anything we can to support them ”

The brothers then set off on their day’s run around the local area, choosing to head up to Staunton Reservoir

Baasit said: “It was such a lovely run where we ran to We ran out and about near Staunton Reservoir We did a circle of the reservoir which was just beautiful The run up to it was really nice ”

Sad Day As Care Home Closes

From Page 1 tinuing the business simply would not be economically viable on this basis, given the limited number of residents and the escalating costs of running the home

She said that her main concern was for the residents and the 26 staff, but she was confident all residents would be able to be find new homes and, whilst there may be some redundancies, staff would find new posts

She said she was “deeply saddened but more concerned about everyone else” to think about her own emotions but she was “dreading when the last resident left and the doors are closed for the very last time”

Many Melbourne residents have expressed sadness that such a welcoming and caring facility, run more like a family home than a business, was having to close

‘JUST TRAGIC’

From Page 1 just been awful It’s just so sad

“Some of the residents have got dementia and memory problems They don’t deal with change at all Even taking them out of Pool Cottage and round the pool can upset them.”

Jo said efforts had been made at first not to tell residents what was happening but this soon became impossible once families started moving their loved ones away.

He said the run had been “hilly” but “really idyllic” and they enjoyed relaxing refreshments afterwards at Fortey’s James Liquorish, of Leicester, is one of the many people whose family are being helped by me&dee James, 14, has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a life-limiting degenerative illness

James’ mum Mazz, who was there with the family to wave the Siddiqui brothers off on their run, said: “The support me&dee has given us is amazing They are a small charity but they do big things Maria couldn’t do enough for us What Raza and Baasit Siddiqui are doing is amazing ”

“We are dealing with residents who are crying because now they know what’s going to happen,” she said “It’s just so heart-breaking.

“The management team and the carers are just absolutely amazing, to go in there every day knowing what’s happening and still have to put on a brave face for the residents and keep them upbeat ”

Jo, who has now got another job, said she had “absolutely loved” her time at Pool Cottage.

“It’s very rewarding,” she said “Just sitting with residents, just being a friend to them and listening and caring for them – I loved it.

“I grew up in Melbourne, and some of the residents knew my family Just to sit and chat with them and reminisce, it’s just beautiful.

“It’s not a care home, it’s a home ”

KING Charles III was officially crowned this year – and now Melbourne has its own King, too!

The quest to find a ‘monarch’ to lead this year ’s Melbourne Carnival procession resulted in the choosing of a King for the first time.

Harry Roberts, a year three pupil at Melbourne Junior School, was crowned Carnival King at the traditional ceremony held at the Royal British Legion in May

Harry is pictured above at Melbourne Pool with his attendants Harry impressed judges with an onstage cartwheel, and mum Milly said he was really looking forward to being part of proceedings on carnival