We have launched this fundraiser to raise money for Lia’s Wings which is an incredible small charity. They are the only UK air ambulance charity that delivers life-saving services both in the UK and internationally. They provide hospital air transfers to ensure that children can access the essential care and treatment they need, including repatriation from foreign countries back to the UK when needed.

To support this, we will be taking part in five half marathons within six months this year. Our first one is in Leeds in May and we will undertake one each month (excluding August), finishing in Manchester in October.

We’ve always loved running, but taking on five half marathons in six months is something entirely new for us. It’s a challenge that will stretch us far beyond what we’ve ever done before — and that’s exactly why we’re doing it.

Jack was an 18-month-old whirlwind of curiosity and mischief, full of energy and charm. He was just discovering the power of “no” and the joy of testing limits, flashing a winning smile whenever he knew he was being cheeky. Jack had quick little hands and an adventurous spirit. His expressive face, contagious laughter and determined independence made him a delightful little character to be around, and his tiny tornado of personality had aptly earned him the nicknames “Jack-Attack” and “Wreck-It-Jack” amongst his friends and family!

In September 2025 Jack was on holiday with his Mummy (Libby), Daddy (Shaun) – two of our closest friends – and his big brother Rowan when the unthinkable happened and Jack was left critically ill in Faro hospital.

In the hours and days that followed, desperate to bring Jack home to the UK whilst he was stable enough to fly, Libby and Shaun began looking for different ways to make this happen and they were introduced to Lia’s Wings by a private air ambulance provider who work closely with the charity.

Lia’s Wings reached out to Libby & Shaun immediately to offer their expertise and guidance in any way they could be of assistance. Once they became aware of Jack’s ordeal, they were in constant contact offering kindness and support to his family which meant everything to them during the most horrendous and distressing time of their lives. Within 2 days of being made aware of Jack’s situation, the Lia’s Wings team had secured an air ambulance plane with intensive care provision and the necessary supporting medical team to facilitate the transfer of Jack from Faro back to the UK.

The total cost for Lia’s Wings of Jack’s repatriation was quoted at £31,235.

Repatriation is very costly given its specialised nature and the teams required to facilitate the transfer. Fortunately, in Jack’s case the travel insurance company agreed to meet the costs of his repatriation, but this was by no means a given and in the midst of the uncertainty and otherwise being in the hands of the insurance company, it was a great comfort to Libby & Shaun to know that Lia’s Wings were quite literally ‘waiting in the wings’ in case they were needed.

Jack was successfully repatriated after 4 days and transferred to a UK hospital but tragically his condition was not recoverable and he passed away in his mummy and daddy’s arms one week later.

The support provided to Jack’s parents by Lia’s Wings during those early days, and which has continued since Jack’s death, has been above and beyond anything they could have expected. They felt that the Lia’s Wings team genuinely cared for Jack, and for them as his parents, and there was, and continues to be, a level of personal kindness and empathy offered during every interaction which shows just what a special charity they are.

As a result of their own experience with Lia’s Wings, Libby and Shaun now want to support the charity in any way they can, to recognise the important work they do and to help them to continue to offer such a vital service to other families facing similar circumstances. A dedicated fund has therefore been set up in Jack’s name with Lia’s Wings, and any funds raised by their friends and family will go into this fund in the hope that Jack’s fund will cover the costs of bringing at least one other family home in future, if not more.

We decided that we wanted to show our support by challenging ourselves with our half-marathons, and our goal is to raise £30,000 in Jack’s name. Every donation, no matter how big or small, will help us keep Jack’s spirit alive and create a lasting legacy of love.

We have already started our rigorous training plan and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for standing with us, supporting us and helping us reach our goal.

Faye and Sarah xx

​Learn more about their work here: www.lias-wings.org.uk