Thanks for taking the time to visit our fundraising page.

We (Lee and Matt) started this GoFundMe to raise some money in memory of our mate, Harry, who passed away in 2025 after being diagnosed with cancer.

Harry was one of life’s genuine good guys. A brilliant dad, husband, colleague and friend. He’s deeply missed by everyone who knew him, and especially by the people who loved him most.

One evening in the pub, while chatting and reminiscing about Harry, we agreed it would be nice to do something in his memory — and why not raise a bit of money for causes that meant something to him and his family along the way.

While a sponsored Aspall’s session would perhaps have been more in keeping with some of Harry’s interests - and certainly more aligned with our skillsets - we decided to do something slightly more challenging instead.

So, with questionable judgement and even more questionable fitness levels, we signed up for the Yorkshire Marathon on 18th October 2026, an event that passes close the HQ of the company where Harry worked for most of his adult life and near to where we live.

After speaking with Harry’s family, we decided to support two causes that are especially close to their hearts, with all donations being split equally between them.

Firstly, we’ll be raising money for Cancer Research UK, the world’s leading independent cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research. With over 400,000 people diagnosed with cancer every year in the UK, continued funding is vital in helping develop better treatments and bringing us closer to a future where more people survive cancer.

Secondly, we’ll also be raising money for the Centenary Wing at Kettering General Hospital. This is a purpose built unit offering outpatient & treatment facilities for both oncology & haematology patients. During his illness Harry spent a lot of time at the Centenary Wing enduring many rounds of chemotherapy. The care, compassion & professionalism shown by the team towards Harry & his wife was outstanding & their kindness made a huge difference during a very difficult time.

For us, this is a big challenge. Marathons - and the training they require - are never easy, and between us we are carrying a few disadvantages; one of us is overweight and built more for steady pub attendance than endurance sport (Lee), the other has a criminally weak bladder, flat feet and ankles more suited to a sparrow (Matt).

Neither of us could honestly be described as “natural runners" but we’re determined to give it everything we’ve got.

We won’t be troubling Sabastian Sawe's recent sub 2 hour record, and it’s fair to say our goals differ slightly — Matt is aiming for a sub-4-hours, while Lee’s main ambition is simply to finish upright and medically recognisable. But the real goal is much bigger than finishing times.

We want to raise some money for the two brilliant causes, remember Harry every step of the way, and hopefully make him proud with every mile.

Any donation, no matter the size, genuinely means a lot. All entry fees, trainers, energy gels and nipple plasters will be paid for by ourselves, so everything you donate will go straight to the good causes.

Thank you so much for your support.