Dad was a farmer all his life, born into it and still working seven days a week in his 70’s at it. He was fit and able, jumping around and keeping us all on our toes. He was my hero teaching me everything about farming and working alongside him everyday.  Tragically, in 2018 our lives changed forever when dad was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND). It was a hard blow for all of us as dad was very fit for his age and I guess I just thought he would live forever. MND is a devastating disease and it took everything from him. It took his strength and stopped him working his farm that he loved, riding his horse, shooting and playing skittles with his friends. MND affected his breathing and his tongue so he struggled to speak and for a sociable person, it was very hard. He used to say to people “you talk and I’ll listen”. Despite all this he never complained, he never made a fuss he would just do all he could. Dad sadly lost his fight against MND in October 2019.  The night before he went to hospital he was sat in the farmhouse having a glass of whisky with a good friend talking about farming, which was exactly how he was, and just how I remember him; hard working, sociable and would help anyone where he could. He was a good man and everybody liked him.

I have set up this fundraising event  “Axe Sheep Fest” in memory of dad with the help of Axminster young farmers (where dad was a member many years ago!) and the Devon County Show shearing committee to put on a fun-filled day of woolly entertainment. Together we would like to raise as much money and awareness for this devastating disease as possible, in the hope that one day there may be a cure so that other families do not have to go through what we went through. We all miss dad tremendously, but none more than I.

Phil