Inspired by local sportsman, triathlete and team player James Sinclair, 51 fantastic fundraisers came together in September to complete an Olympic relay triathlon and raise as much money as possible for local hospice care charity Phyllis Tuckwell.
James was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in June 2022 and died this July, at the age of 56. Throughout his illness, he was cared for by staff from Phyllis Tuckwell. His family and friends took on the triathlon to honour his life and say thank you for all Phyllis Tuckwell did for him.
The team set themselves a fundraising target of £25,000 – the amount of money that Phyllis Tuckwell needs to raise every day to be able to continue providing its care. They divided themselves into 17 relay teams of three, with each team swimming 1.5km, cycling 42km and running 10km, at a big event at Dorney Lake.
By the end of the triathlon, they had smashed their target. Their total now stands at an incredible £33,200. This is enough to cover the cost of all of Phyllis Tuckwell’s Living Well day services for almost three weeks. Supporting over 550 patients a year, Phyllis Tuckwell’s Living Well day services offer medical, nursing and therapeutic support, as well as counselling, social work advice and pastoral care, through individual appointments and group sessions.
“James and I received the most amazing care from the Phyllis Tuckwell team, with experts visiting us at home to address the endless practical problems of living with MND. They ensured we always felt informed and supported, right until the end and even beyond”, said Helen Sinclair, James’s wife.
“Thank you so much to all of James’s family and friends who have supported us through this amazing challenge,” said Charli Quay-Barnham, Community Fundraising Manager at Phyllis Tuckwell. “This really is a fantastic amount of money, and we are very grateful to all those who took part and those who sponsored them.”
“It has been our privilege to remember James by such an event and to have been inspired by him to support Phyllis Tuckwell, which is such an important organisation and used by so many members of our local community,” said Andrew Carvell, a friend of James’s.
If you’d like to read more about this challenge, or donate in James’s memory, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tri-for-james. If you’re feeling inspired to organise your own fundraising event in aid of Phyllis Tuckwell, their Fundraising team would love to hear from you! You can call them on 01252 729446, email [email protected] or visit www.pth.org.uk/support-us/fundraising to discuss your ideas and find out how they can support you.