11 May 2025 marked the 40th anniversary of the Bradford fire disaster, in which my Dad, John, 34, died alongside his youngest son Andrew, 11, brother, Peter, 32 and father Eddie, 63, in a fire, that I, his eldest son, aged 12, escaped from the rear corridor of a football stand in which they, and 40 others died, through the blaze & onto the pitch.

There, the first responders to the hundreds injured, was a small voluntary St John’s ambulance crew, who included a young boy not much older than myself. Four years later, at Hillsborough, I’d watch as a larger crew responded to a further disaster, as many fans, without the first aid training that St John ambulance do offer, could only look helplessly on, as their work brought to mind the words of John Bradford, “There but for the grace of God go I”.

2025 marked my own return to health. Four years of covid, long and autoimmune consequence from March 2020 that included two bouts of viral pneumonia. Now, after a 75lb weight loss since March 2024, 90lbs from peak, I will run the Royal Parks Half Marathon, four days after what should have been by Dad’s 75th birthday, for St John’s ambulance, in recognition of the remarkable work I saw them do twice as a child, when folk who simply went to watch the football, found themselves in need of of St John’s crews, an unsung band of heroes, who helped bring calm and order to unimaginable chaos. As St John once said, “The endurance of the darkness is preparation for great light”

Any donations and support that you can give me on this personal journey back to full health & fitness, would be so greatly appreciated. Thanks you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.