On 10 September the Arken Creative team will be climbing Buachaille Etive Mor in loving memory of John Brownbill who died of prostate cancer in January this year.

John set up The Write People in Dunblane with his wife, Lorraine, in the 1980s and myself and Susan were lucky enough to work with him from the very start of our careers. When he retired, and I took over The Write People (now Arken Creative), I was delighted to build on his legacy.

John was always upbeat, friendly and creative, and had a great sense of humour. His two great loves in life were cars and music, but he also loved walking in the hills with his family. To celebrate his 60^th birthday John, Lorraine and his son, Colin, climbed Scotland’s most iconic mountain, Buachaille Etive Mor in Glencoe, which is why we have chosen this particular challenge in his honour.

We are hoping to raise as much money as possible for Prostate Cancer UK. Prostate cancer is curable if diagnosed and treated early. It can often be detected by a simple blood test. Unfortunately for John, his cancer had already spread when he was diagnosed with the disease.

John’s attitude to his illness was nothing short of awesome. There was no despair or self-pity, he was completely unphased by it, accepting but resolute in carrying on as normal. Even in his final week when life became exceptionally challenging (made no easier by having a broken arm caused by the spread of the cancer), he never complained but instead found ways to make his family and nurses laugh. John died at home, as he wanted, on 10 January.

John’s death was a great loss to all who knew him. We’d be delighted if you could give a donation, however small, so we know we’ve done him proud as we scatter some of his ashes at the summit of his favourite mountain.

Karen Nisbet
Director, Arken Creative