It’s been 5 years since we said goodbye to Iggy. But his spirit is still very much with us in the charity, Iggy’s Fund, set up by Kevin (Iggy’s brother) and run by very good friends and family. The charity focuses on funding brain tumour research and grass roots cricket. Both of which stand in a much better place than they were five years ago because of these funds.

I won’t labour the pain of Iggy’s illness or his end… BUT there is brighter news as this summer, Beth (Iggy’s daughter) has joined her dad’s local cricket club and wears the team shirt with her dad’s charity logo on. She turns up on Wednesdays and Fridays, to a ground crawling with juniors, boys and girls. The place runs on the devotion of volunteers and the funding of Iggy’s Fund. It’s beyond beautiful and is the best memorial I could ever have wished for to hold Iggy’s memory. Iggy would have been bursting with pride and sheer joy if he could see the scores of kids loving the game that he adored.

Having run the London Marathon over 10 years ago it is now time to do another challenge. This time it is the Great North Run, and it’s not just me, there’s a team of 5 of us. Aidy Dibb and Neil Copping, both fellow cricket team mates of Iggy’s and friends throughout, are going to run with me. We will also be joined by Josh and Charlie who support and admire the work of the charity.

This is a very personal cause, and for anyone who met and knew Iggy, you will know that whilst a brain tumour may have finished him, it was cricket that kept him going. And with these two things at the heart of our mission, I’d like to make sure that we can continue to drive away the pain of the disease by supporting research; but also to continue nourishing the thriving grass roots cricket that grows by the season and brings so much joy to so many.

Please support us, so we can continue to support the spirit of Iggy and that blue-eyed smile that saw everyone and meant the world.

Please follow @iggysfund for updates on our training.

Bear in mind our combined age is 224, we are all deep into middle age, and have a list of injuries to rival Iggy’s (shhhhh, don’t tell him).