LOCAL NEWS

TACKLE GREAT NORTH RUN FOR ST TERESA’S HOSPICE

A touch of friendly father-son rivalry is swelling the coffers as family and friends prepare to tackle the Great North Run.

Paul and Ben Ryan decided to run the popular half-marathon in memory of wife and mother Rachel who died after developing an aggressive form of oesophageal cancer aged just 47. They have also enlisted the support of friends and running club members and have already raised more than £4,000 for St Teresa’s Hospice where staff cared for Rachel in her final few days. Paul, a company general manager, from Darlington, said: “Rachel began having acid reflux issues in January and in February was diagnosed with cancer. It was so aggressive and had spread so quickly treatment was not possible and she died at St Teresa’s Hospice in March. “The love and care the staff showed Rachel, me, our two boys, Ben and Sam, her sister Caroline, and friends in her last few days was amazing and befitting of Rachel. So as #TeamRachel we are undertaking the Great North Run in order to raise as much money as possible for the charity. “Rachel was always willing to go the extra mile for anyone in need, working firstly in education but latterly helping people escape debt with Christians Against Poverty. She was always the first to help others, whether it be helping new parents through difficult times or delivering meals to families who needed them. The world would be a better place if we could all be more like her.” Paul has set up a Just Giving Page at

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/

TeamRachelRyan and Ben, 19, a classical singing student, has set up a rival team to raise even more money. “I have been running for the past eight years and joined Quakers Running Club,” said Paul. “Ben, who used to volunteer at St Teresa’s Mowden charity shop, has started training and if he sticks to the plan I’m sure he will beat me on the day.” Rachel’s sister Caroline is also planning to run as are some members of the Quakers Club including Michelle Boshier. She said: “I’ve been involved with St Teresa’s for over 10 years, volunteering in the in-patient unit, helping with the events staged throughout the year, such as Bark in the Park and the Santa Run, with my son Lewis. “Through lockdown in 2020 I couldn’t leave the house so I ran up and down my path for 2.6 miles as I was missing my running to raise money for St Teresa’s. Lockdown lasted longer than I thought – 105 days. “I had a Great North Run place for St Teresa’s, which is an amazing place that gives support to many people and their families in their most difficult days. When Rachel died, at her remembrance service, we agreed to run the Great North Run in her memory.” Community Support Fundraiser Emily Robson said: “We’re lucky to have such an amazing community of runners supporting St Teresa’s every year. I look forward to meeting our wonderful supporters in our marquee at the finish line charity village.” Registration has closed for this year but you can register your interest to secure a place in 2023 by contacting the Events Team on 01325 254321 or

events@darlingtonhospice.org.uk. Our House Clearance Service can offer a comprehensive full or partial clearance service for a fair and competitive charge, and all proceeds go directly to the Hospice.

As part of our wider services, our Retail Team can offer a professional full or partial house clearance service to anyone who needs it. You don’t need to have a connection to St Teresa’s Hospice to use this service. If you are moving home, have inherited a property, or have a loved one going into care, whatever your individual circumstances, we can help you. How it works: • Organising a house clearance with

St Teresa’s Hospice is easy, and we will arrange for a stress-free collection of your items. • House clearances are carried out by our experienced and reliable staff, who will come out and give you a free assessment. • We will then arrange a date and time which will work for you. Your items will be collected with care and confidentiality. Any items that we can sell will be donated to our stores. • The fee you pay and any proceeds from the items goes back directly into funding our care and providing vital services in the local community. All proceeds from house clearances provide us with an income to help sustain our charity and community.

Please get in touch to discuss the details of the service you require. Call us on 01325 488701 or email enquiries@darlingtonhospice.org.uk

For more information about our services visit www.darlingtonhospice.org.uk

GOOD

SPORTS

IF U Care Share – that’s the message from two of the country’s top sports stars as they line up to support a County Durham charity.

The rising level of suicide among young men is one of the tragedies of our times – but two of GB’s top athletes are helping a North East charity stem the tide.

If U Care Share was founded in 2011 by County Durham mum Shirley Smith after losing her eldest and much-loved son Dan to suicide on Easter Monday 2005. Intervening to prevent suicides and providing family support after suicide, its staff also run workshops teaching the importance of mental along with physical wellbeing. And now the charity, which works with the Premier League, League Football Education, the Women’s Super League (WSL) and the Football Association to address the issue at football league clubs across the UK, have added two new recruits to their team Olympic and World Cup medallist, world champion and five times national cycling champion Ryan Owens and GB judo champion Lachlan Moorhead are both lending their support, in a bid to bring down rising rates of suicide among young men in Britain. Ryan, who started competitive cycling when he was 13, said he has seen at first hand the devastating effect loneliness can have on young men. “Loneliness sounds so unthreatening,” he said, “But it can be fatal and it’s crucial that everyone – but particularly young men, who aren’t necessarily used to expressing their emotions, can talk about their feelings. “I feel so strongly about this that I wanted to offer practical help – not just sympathetic social media soundbites – and that’s why I’m really pleased to be supporting If U Care Share and the phenomenal work they do.” Lachlan, a Grand Slam and multiple European medallist who started training in judo at age six, was just 11 when his idol, World Judo Champion Craig Fallon, died by suicide in 2019 aged 36. “He was my hero,” he said, “and the best judo athlete to ever come out of Great Britain in my opinion. “I barely knew him but what his death showed me was that often people who seem fine are struggling inside and my opinion is that we don’t talk about this often enough.” Lachlan and Ryan were introduced to If U Care Share by Athlete Media Group – which represents athletes from a variety of sports, united in a desire to give back to society by lending their voices to a range of causes, from ocean plastic to bullying, sustainability and diversity. Their support, said the charity, could “very well mean the difference between life and death,” with current figures showing male suicides are triple those of women. Seventeen years on from her son’s death, Shirley still does not know what drove him to take his own life, “but we also know that 75 per cent of men that end their lives have no diagnosis, or history of mental illness,” she said. “However, sport can reach people – especially young men –when other methods fail,” said Shirley, “which is why we are so thrilled to have Lachlan and Ryan on board.”

Ryan Owens

HOLIDAY

ROUND UP:

Hopefully by now winter is but a cold chilly memory, you got the chance to defrost in spring and now at long long last - well overdue in fact - we’re on the cusp of summer. Post-covid we’re also all more than ready to look ahead and embrace the warmer months with some new scenery, be it an overseas holiday or a UK staycation.

One of the best parts of the holiday is the pre planning, working out in advance what to take and what to leave behind. There’s no better feeling in the world than dusting off your suitcase from on top of the wardrobe (or under the bed) and pulling together bit by bit what you’ll need when far from home. Here at Darlington Today we’re hoping to make your packing chore a teeny bit easier by rounding up the very best and essential summer items to take on your journey be it to the coast, mountains or an urban getaway.

FIRST AID TRAVEL KIT WILKO, £5.25

Okay it may not be top of your thoughts when it comes to holidays, but this little kit could be invaluable. Small enough to squeeze into any case, it something that’s great to have on hand to deal with all those possible cuts, scrapes and bangs.

WHITE BAG TX MAXX - £44.99

A holiday essential is a bag that can literally pack everything in – handy enough to take on as a carry-on on the plane and that can be used to take everything to the beach. This bargain from TX Maxx pretty much ticks every box.

HATS, VARIOUS NATIONAL TRUST FROM £15 to £25

Protect your head from the sun’s glare and help a good cause at the same time? It’s a no brainer. The National Trust has unveiled its very own collection of stylish sun hats and you can get an extra feeling of warmth knowing you’re supporting an organisation that protects the UK’s nature, beauty and history.

PASSPORT HOLDER WWW.GETTINGPERSONAL.CO.UK £14.99

If you’ve been lucky enough to actually get your new passport through in time for your holidays – or even if you’re old one is still in date – don’t risk losing it. This bespoke passport holder is a great way of identifying your passport immediately – and it also makes a nifty gift idea.

TAN ROPE SANDALS PRIMARK -£10

Nobody wants to feel ropey on holiday – but in this case we’ll make an exception! Primark’s great for a holiday bargain and they don’t come much better than this. These sandals will save your feet from getting sore and can easily transition from cool day to smart night wear.

RAINBOW STRIPED BEACH TOWEL TX MAXX - £12.99

Any sunworshipper worth their stripes will have – a striped beach towel. Doesn’t matter if you’re lounging by that tropical pool or catching some rays on a sandy beach, this is the great holiday must-have.

BANDEAU BIKINI GEORGE AT ASDA - £9

You can still look a million dollars by the beach without breaking the bank – as this stylish bikini confirms. You can buy each piece individually for just £4.50p. It leaves lots more money for those by the pool cocktails…

100 PER CENT MINERAL SUNCREAM HOLLAND & BARRETT - £9.99

Still at the very top of your holiday list is, of course, sun lotion. It’s not good enough in this day and age to just buy any old brand … go green and choose an environmentally friendly guilt-free sun cream when you spread on this H&B 100% Mineral Sunscreen, 50SPF. It’s vegan friendly, reef friendly and (of course) not tested on animals.

DENTEK’S TEMPARIN® ADVANCED REPAIR KIT VARIOUS INCLUDING BOOTS, LLOYDS, SAINSBURYS – £7.60

This genius little travelling dental kit could save you thousands of pounds and hours of pain: Oral hygiene company DenTek’s Temparin® Advanced Repair Kit can help you cope with a loose filling, cap, crown or inlay until you can get back to your dentist. It’s safe, you can eat after making repairs and it’ll keep your smile firmly in place.