This year I am running the GMR Half Marathon in support of an inspirational friend, Steve Burne, and the Steve Burne Rooms project at the RMHC Manchester House!

Steve has been involved with RMHC for over 15 years and for the last 5 years has been the Chair of the Manchester House Board of Governors.

I first met Steve and his son Daniel in 2014 when I was part of a small group of 6 idiots who turned up to cycle from Argentina to Chile for RMHC. I say idiots on reflection of our training regime which consisted of cycling to Hollingworth Lake for beers at The Wine Press three times, surely all the training required to conquer one of the biggest mountain ranges in the world?!

Steve and the rest of the more prepared participants (adults I think they are called) were amazing with our team and offered regular encouragement and advice to drag us through the trip. 

Sadly, in May 2017, Steve was diagnosed with cancer and devastatingly this was announced as terminal in October. Around this time Steve also suffered numerous cardiac arrests which left him in a coma and blind in one eye.

Despite all of this, Steve has continued to fight and has dedicated much of his precious remaining time to raising funds for 5 new bedrooms at the Manchester House. This will cost £350k in total with the current amount raised to date at a remarkable £315k! 

I would love to see the £350k target smashed and the much needed additional rooms being built as soon as possible. Any additional funds raised will be spent refurbishing other areas of the house.

Please donate whatever you can, no matter how small, and help Steve build a legacy that will help keep families close to their poorly children!

RMHC Manchester
Our Ronald McDonald House in Manchester supports families whose children are undergoing treatment at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. The 60 bedroom House provides a free, welcoming place to stay. Each bedroom can accommodate up to four people and the House has communal living areas such as kitchens, playrooms and a garden. Our staff are on hand to offer a listening ear and organise activities so families can take some time away from the hospital, to come together and share their experiences
Ronald McDonald House Charities is an independent charity registered in England and Wales (802047) and in Scotland (SC040717).