In loving memory of Edward Dyson

Edward was 30 when he died on 13th February 2009. He had battled a brain tumour for two years and was survived by his wife, Victoria and their 15-month-old son, Harry.

In his memory, our family set up a fundraising group within the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust, now The Brain Tumour Charity, to support it’s vital, ground-breaking work. Through raising money in Edward’s memory, our aim is to help other individuals and families affected by brain tumours, and to support the charity’s research which strives to change the devastating outcomes of this disease.

Edward was an active, sports enthusiast with a love for travel and a passion for organising big family gatherings abroad. We are so grateful for the incredible support from his friends, our extended family and wider community, whose many inspiring fundraising efforts have truly reflected Edward’s adventurous spirit, deep commitment to family and his boundless energy.

Just two years after Edward died, we far surpassed our initial fundraising expectations, raising over £27,000 through generous sponsorship, donations and gift aid. Over the following decade, that total grew to more than £70,000! This incredible achievement only strengthened our commitment to supporting this important charity and we sincerely thank you for your support in visiting this page.

You can find out more information about The Brain Tumour Charity and Edward by visiting the link - https://www.thebraintumourcharity.org/get-involved/supporter-groups/groups/the-edward-dyson-fund/

Timeline of fundraising so far!

Throughout the Brain Tumour Awareness Months in March 2022 and March 2023 - Hannah Guy made it to 5 years on the trot of wearing a 10k weighted vest to walk, run or cycle 10km every day and raise money for The Brain Tumour Charity in memory of Edward. Truly an amazing effort Hannah, thank you!

The Middle Street Fish Bar in Deal, Kent raised an incredible amount of £400 from the sale of second-hand books. Thank you so much. Edward always loved your fish and chips!

Throughout March 2021 - Brain Tumour Awareness Month - Hannah Guy will be wearing her 10k weighted vest to walk, run or cycle 10km every day - for the third year running! Good luck Hannah, you're definitely a pro at this now.

Throughout March 2020 - Brain Tumour Awareness Month - Hannah Guy donned her 10k vest once again to walk, run or cycle 10km every day!! After completing the heroic challenge last year, this year Hannah powered through a global pandemic to raise £1,350 ... thank you to everyone who supported her and huge well done Hannah!!

2019

Throughout the year, Vicky Dyson and her colleagues at Hays Travel in Deal will be raising money for the Brain Tumour Charity. They began by raising £100 with a cake sale in March. Thank you all!

On 28 April 2019, Mark Sankey will be running the London Marathon. This is Mark's first marathon and we're thrilled that he has chosen to raise funds for The Brain Tumour Charity. Good luck Mark, we'll be cheering you on!

Throughout March 2019, Hannah Guy completed 10km every day, walking, running, biking - all while wearing a 10kg weighted vest! Hannah has completed this amazing challenge in memory of our beautiful Edward, 10 years on since he died, to raise awareness and money for this amazing charity. 31 days in March = 310km raising over £1,700! Well done Hannah, and thank you to everyone who supported her!

2018

Thank you to Tim and Sally Waite, and the Downs Sailing Club for organising an On Your Bike day in October 2018, which raised a fantastic sum of £1,574.21 for the BTC. Thank you also to all the people who gave talks at the event, and everyone who helped to support the day.

2017

Each year, Edward's parents, Rosemary and Owen Dyson host coffee mornings during Brain Tumour Awareness months. Thanks to the generosity of local friends and all who come along each year to help keep the cause in mind, they continually raise a fantastic amount.

2016

Through the period of 2015-16, Henry Dyson's employer, Lockton, made The Brain Tumour Charity its charity of the year. Lockton Associates from around the UK went on to raise over £170,000 - a truly outstanding amount!

Ed's friend Ashley Breeze continues to undertake various heroic sporting endeavours, with a calendar full of triathlons, marathons and an Iron Man in 2016 with Henry Dyson.

2015

In September 2015, Rosemary Owen Dyson raised £150 from table-top sales in their front garden.

Ashley Breeze successfully received a £1,000 grant to The Brain Tumour Charity from Enterprise Holdings Foundation Board for undertaking multiple sporting challenges in 2015! He went on to receive another £1,000 from the same company for taking part in the Bristol 2 Bath marathon. Thanks Ash for all the fantastic events and fundraising you've done for The Brain Tumour Charity!

2014

Many thanks to Enterprise Holdings Foundation Board which has donated £1,000 to The Brain Tumour Charity in support of Ashley Breeze who undertook the Paris Marathon on 6th April 2014. Thanks Ash!

Sincere thanks to John Aust who recently turned 70 and raised £560 for The Brain Tumour Charity by asking for donations instead of birthday presents. Thank you so much John and Happy Birthday!

2013

Thank you to all the staff at Advanced Health and Care who helped to raise £235.50 during 2013 for The Brain Tumour Charity in memory of Edward.

During the year, Edward's cousins Sian, Rhun and Elin have been raising money at car boot sales in south Wales for The Brain Tumour Charity, also in memory of their Aunt Beryl, and their latest tally came in at £75.

Throughout the 2012-13 academic year, Sir Roger Manwood's Grammar School in Sandwich, Kent made The Brain Tumour Charity its charity of the year and raised an incredible £9,700 during the course of the year through fantastic fundraising events and schemes. Thank you to all the pupils, teachers and friends who worked so hard to achieve such an impressive sum.

On 19th July 2013, a Pamper Evening was held at Betteshanger Social Club in Kent. Local businesses hosted stalls selling tasters of massages, beauty treatments and products, tarot card readings plus a raffle, tombola and art craft stalls. Tickets sales and donations on the night raised a fantastic £808.69. Thank you to everyone who made it a great evening.

On 15th June 2013, the Edward Dyson Supporter Group raised £357.60 through an all-day tombola and collection at the Sainsbury's store in Deal. Thank you to all the generous shoppers who played the tombola or donated to the collection pot, and also to Sainsbury's for letting us host the stall.

On 3rd - 6th May 2013 Edward's friends, Ash Breeze, Sam and George Cullis and Ben Gorringe cycled 280 miles from Peckham to Padstow and raised £700 for The Brain Tumour Charity in memory of Ed. Thanks to all the boys for such a great effort - check out their fundraising page here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/peckham2padstow

Throughout 2013, Edward's grandmother Carmella, continues to raise a regular flow of money through coffee mornings with her friends in memory of Edward.

Thank you to all those at Advanced Computer Software, Edward's previous workplace, who held a dress down day in March 2013 and raised £189.04 for The Brain Tumour Charity.

2012

Thank you to Edward Cooke and the Rowse Family Trust for an extremely generous donation of £4,000 to The Brain Tumour Charity.

On 12th November 2012, Henry Dyson and Ashley Breeze undertook the Men's Health Survival of the Fittest challenge, Survival in the Smoke, at Battersea Power Station, London.

On 21st October 2012, Henry and Owen Dyson, George Wood and Michael Voice completed a marathon in Amsterdam. Congratulations on a fantastic achievement and thanks to all of you for raising over £1,550 for the charity in memory of Edward.

On the 12th October 2012 a quiz night was held at St Mary's School, Deal for Rosemary Dyson's Deal to Paris cycle ride and raised £586 for The Brain Tumour Charity. A big thank you to all who came and made the evening a great success.

On 7th October 2012, Ashley Breeze and Andy Bracegirdle completed the Budapest Marathon and Sam Cullis completed the Windsor Half Marathon in memory of Ed.

On the 16th September 2012, Edward's mother cycled (and walked up hills!) from Deal to Paris. Rosemary successfully arrived in Paris on the 20th September in one piece and raised over £2,000. Congratulations on your arrival in Paris!

On 8th July 2012, Vanessa Carrillo ran the British London 10k. This was Vanessa's first run which she completed in a very respectable time, raising money for SDBTT in memory of Edward. Thank you and congratulations Vanessa.

On 14th June 2012, Sue and Kevin Timmis walked the West Highland Way and raised over £700 for SDBTT in memory of Edward. Thank you and congratulations on this achievement Sue and Kevin.

On 15th April 2012, Ashley Breeze ran the Brighton Marathon, completing another in a series of runs raising funds for the SDBTT in memory of Ed. Congratulations and thank you Ash.

On 1st April 2012, Henry Dyson, Owen Dyson and Byron Vincent ran the Sussex Marathon, all in very respectable times for possibly the hardest, hilliest marathon they could have chosen for their first one. All will be aiming to join a fellow runner who was clocking up his 800th marathon!

In the second week of February 2012, Tim Waite conquered Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and chose to raise money for SDBTT in memory of Edward. Tim successfully undertook this spectacular challenge with a retired GP, so in good hands and raised an incredible £878.

2011

Throughout Brain Tumour Awareness Month in March 2011, Rosemary Dyson held a series of SDBTT Raise-a-Cuppa tea parties with her friend Gill Aust, to raise over £350.

The group got busy throughout March 2011 selling SDBTT raffle tickets helping to raise £340 during Brain Tumour Awareness month.

On 26th August 2011, Penny Matkin undertook the incredible Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc (UTMB) - a stupendous race of 101 miles, circumnavigating Mont Blanc, climbing a total of ten peaks which total over 9,000 meters ascent and descent which Penny completed in just over 41 hours, coming 559th out of over 2,000 and also managed to raise an incredible £1,595.

On 9th October 2011, a team of runners, Owen, Henry and Isabel Dyson, Nicola and Bernie Cresswell successfully ran the Royal Parks Half Marathon as part of the SDBTT team. Between them, the team hosted a race night, two pub quizzes and was awarded corporate matched funding recognition to raise a grand total of £4,785.

In December 2011, Henry Dyson was given £1,000 towards the group, by the Lloyd’s Market charity awards on behalf of the Lloyds charities trust.

2010

Sir Roger Manwood’s School in Sandwich made SDBTT their charity of the year and participated in various fantastic fundraising events throughout the year. At the end of November 2010 the school presented SDBTT with a cheque totalling a fantastic £5,579.13.

On October 3rd 2010, Henry Dyson and Ed Hall set off on a tropical fundraising trek in Peru, following the Machu Picchu trail in what was by no means a stroll in the park. Congratulations to Henry and Ed who did the trek each carrying 19k and for raising £2,860.

On 26th September 2010, Isabel Dyson ran the O2 Run to the Beat Half Marathon in London in 2hours 13mins. Well done to Isabel who raised £812.50 in memory of Edward.

Following a series of summer Screen on the Green open air cinema evenings, donations were made in collection boxes to the grand sum of £100.36. Many thanks to George Wood for organising the collections in memory of Edward.

Throughout the summer boot fair season, Edward's cousins Elin, Sian and Rhun Jones raised an incredible £500 hosting car boots around Wales, with the help of their late Aunt Beryl. Thanks to them for all the sacrificed early mornings, and to Beryl.

On 20th August 2010, Victoria Dyson hosted a hugely successful summer evening of music and entertainment with the fantastic Michael Bublé tribute act Kai McKenzie with the Sir Roger Manwood's School jazz band. The night raised a superb £1,702 so many thanks to Mary for organising all the excellent musicians, Sandra and Amy for the fantastic food and everyone who came and showed their support to make it thoroughly enjoyable!

On Sunday 11th July 2010 Owen Dyson and Isabel Dyson ran the British London 10k together. They ran for the SDBTT team and raised an incredible £2,384 in memory of Edward.

On 10th June 2010, Victoria Dyson organised a Sex and the City II themed night which was so well attended and raised £1,216.01 - an outstanding amount for a ladies' evening of wine, cakes, raffles, fashion and fun! Thanks to Victoria and Mary and all those who attended and contributed to a great evening.

On 19th May 2010, Edward's employer Adastra hosted a gala dinner as part of its annual national conference. The company raised an incredible £2,000 for charity through a raffle and split the money raised 50/50 in memory of Greg Highwood-Mack, Edward's colleague who died in March 2006, and for SDBTT Friends of Edward Dyson. Thank you so much to Adastra and all of Edward's colleagues for their thoughtfulness and enormous generosity.

Over two weeks, starting on May 1st 2010, Byron Vincent and Terry Bingley covered a hardcore, two-week cycling feat from the most south westerly tip of Britain at Land’s End to the most north easterly tip, John O'Groats, cycling an average of 80 miles per day. With no relays or back up teams supporting them, they arrived at John O'Groats on May 16th in one piece! We'd like to say an enormous thank you to Byron and Tel for sharing such an incredible achievement and raising an outstanding amount of £2,436.19 in memory of Edward.

On April 26th 2010, Suzanne and Mark Rawlings joined the new UK Beetle Club Charity Convoy 'LEJOG 2010' covering 5 packed days of driving, starting from Lands End on 26th April and reaching John O‘Groats on 30th April. Thank you so much to Suzanne and Mark for raising a brilliant £326 in memory of Ed.

We’re so proud to have been awarded Fundraiser of the month for April 2010 by the JustGiving site - thank you to all the people who sponsored, donated or taken part in events to get us this fabulous recognition. http://blog.justgiving.com/community/fundraiser-of-the-month-april-2010/

Throughout March 2010, Rosemary Dyson and many friends 'raised a cuppa to raise awareness!' - an SDBTT Tea Party initiative that ran during Brain Tumour Awareness Month in March 2010. Many thanks also to Gill Aust who hosted a tea party and raised £180 from the sale of tea cakes and books. Cheers to you all!

On Sunday March 7th 2010, Kathryn Purcell ran the Bath Half Marathon, one of the longest established city centre road events in the UK, in under 2 1/2 hours, raising a fantastic amount of £386.50. Thank so much to Kathryn for sharing this outstanding achievement.

2009

A huge number of Edward's family and friends joined in the SDBTT Walk Around the World week in October 2009. Well done to the many who helped clock up a very long 150 miles and raise £1,062 in memory of Edward. The children and staff of St Mary’s Primary School in Deal also joined the challenge and raised £175 towards the grand total.

Sue Timmis kicked off the fundraising events in style by walking 5 long days of Hadrian's Wall in June 2009 and raised an amazing £1,710. Well done and thank you to Sue and Judy who joined her.