Over £130k raised and still going strong
Words: Paul Chapman
Images: Alan Wilkinson
We meet up with Local Hero, Dave Trickett, a man who has run 30 plus marathons and half marathons, and in doing so has helped raise over £130,000 for local charities.
The motivation behind Dave’s run fest is a sad one though, losing his young daughter to cancer inspired him to help those who might suffer in the future.
Kimberley was just six years old when she was first diagnosed with cancer. Treated and cleared of the illness she had ten years of good health before developing breast cancer at the age of 18. Treatment again followed and she started a nursing course at University.
“MacMillan Nurses do an amazing job, the support I’ve seen first-hand has been fantastic.
She made a good start with her university education but developed a brain tumour and came home for treatment. The illness this time was severe, and Kimberley admitted herself to Ashgate Hospicecare where she spent 5 weeks before sadly losing her battle on 6 July 2009, aged just 20.
Kimberley’s family have since been on a massive fund-raising drive which continues to this day.
Dave is well known locally for what he does. His parents used to run a nursery at Walton, and as a result he has a love of the outdoors and runs his own landscaping business. Like many people I speak to, within two minutes of chatting you realise you both have so many common acquaintances and begin putting the world of Chesterfield right.
Dave and his family started fundraising to support Ashgate Hospicecare and as ten years of fundraising approached, they realised that, with a push, they could burst through the £100,000 mark, which they achieved earlier in the year.
Alongside Ashgate Hospicecare, Dave and his family have been supporting the Teenage Cancer Trust, an organisation that played a key role in supporting Kimberley and the family during her illness. As we speak Dave’s fundraising has raised over £30,000 for this charity and there are many more activities planned.
“The thing with charity is, many of us simply don’t know who’s out there and what they do until we need them,” says Dave. “MacMillan Nurses do an amazing job, the support I’ve seen first-hand has been fantastic.
“The Teenage Cancer Trust also do an amazing job. They treat teenagers, ranging in age from 13 to roughly 26, suffering from cancer at Weston Park, Sheffield, and even being well funded it’s estimated that they only get to treat 50% of those that need treatment, they simply need more help from us to get to everyone.”
Dave had run at a younger age, completing the first Chesterfield Marathon at age 23, “I ran with Ron Hill one year, the man behind the brand, he won the Boston Marathon one year and always ran in a string vest!” Dave adds.
The families fundraising started 15 years ago with Dave running the Sheffield Half Marathon. This year it’s ten years since Kimberley passed away and Dave wanted to do something special. He’d listened to Chris Evans after he returned from the New York Marathon, and in 2018 Dave contacted the Teenage Cancer Trust to see if they could help him get a place at the largest marathon in the world.
There is also a strong family link to New York. Kimberley’s was celebrating her 12th birthday on 11/09/2001 when the terrible events unfolded, from then on she always felt sad that her birthday coincided with such an event.
“It’s great to have such a supportive family behind me, Ross, Beck, Katy and Kimberleys mum Tracey, not forgetting my Dad, Bob, these lot and the memory of Kimberley inspire me to do what I do.”
“I did visit Ground Zero whilst I was in New York, the stories people have to tell are incredible, I chatted to a fireman who had been in a building right opposite who describes the day's events as like taking part in a movie.
“I also took a ride through Central Park to see the fountain that features in the Friends opening, it’s a place that feels special in so many ways.”
On the day of the New York Marathon Dave joined 52,000 other runners from every corner of the world. Things start early, as you need to get to Staten Island either on the ferry or on one of 800 buses that are laid on.
Due to the numbers you start in batches of 13 to 15,000 at a time (Chesterfield's recent half marathon was approx. 1,500 runners for comparison) with 20 minutes between each batch. Dave set off at 11am.
The course takes you over five bridges, past world known landmarks and finishes with a hill in Central Park. “The crowd carry you round this race. It’s like no other. I’ve done the London Marathon last year and it compares, although I buried my mum, Dorothy, on the Thursday before, so I was inspired to run to celebrate the life she’d lived.”
“It was 4:25 when I crossed the finish in Central Park, it was still light, and I was full of beans.
“It’s great to have such a supportive family behind me, Ross, Beck, Katy and Kimberleys mum Tracey, not forgetting my Dad, Bob, these lot and the memory of Kimberley inspire me to do what I do.”
So, I asked what’s next? “Having a rest,” Dave answered, and then went on to tell me about a spinning event that's taking place in Queens Park on 23 November, one that somehow, I ended up volunteering to do! Three hours on a spin bike, not so sure it sounds like fun to be honest. Writing after the event I can confirm that I did it together with 40 or so other supporters and have set up a just giving page as below if you’d like to support Dave via me. All funds raised go to The Teenage Cancer Trust in support of Dave’s fundraising.
Hats off to Dave, Kimberley's mum Tracey and his family for all their hard work for some great local charities.
A true Local Hero.