Current Projects...

Midsummer Midnight Walk (13.5 miles) for Ashgate Hospice

Race For Life (5km, Chesterfield) for Cancer Research UK

Charity Calendar (for 2011)... possibly...

My charity work

When I started my business (Alf Designs) in September 2005, one of the first things I did was to volunteer to design a charity calendar for my local radio station, Peak 107 fm. I created the design, graphics and many of their banner adverts completely free of charge. It was to raise money for Ashgate Hospice and the Genesis Cancer Appeal. By the time of it's launch party though in that November, my Dad had sadly been diagnosed with cancer himself. This is what has spurred me on to increase the amount of my fund raising work.

I designed another two charity calendars for them, one for another group and one for a friend, Nora Harris before the end of 2007. These five calendars have raised over £50,000 for local and national charities (including the DRI Childrens ward, the Prostrate Cancer Unit at Chesterfield Royal and the British Heart Foundation).

I would like to make it clear that my charity work is completely not for my own profit and was started in earnest in 2005 due to my own personal circumstances. I am not, nor ever have been a member of any group regarding this. Any claims that I work for others in any way are completely false. I work alone, and always will.

If you would like to keep up to date with the gradual progress of my campaign or would like to sponsor any of my current projects, please follow this link to my new site: MyBraveDad.org

Cancer Research UK sponsorship

I won't write a lot of personal and heart wrenching things on line to guilt anyone in to donating don't worry! Those of you who know me, know my story and my genuine intentions. I'm a naturally shy person, so you won't often find mention of me in any press articles. I'd rather just be behind the scenes getting the work done!

I set up a fund raising site with 'justgiving.com' in 2005 with the hope of raising £1,000,000 in honour of my one-in-a-million Dad. My family means the world to me and this disease is just too cruel.

You can donate to Cancer Research or read a little more about us if you like here, it's called My Brave Dad

Race For Life

My first Race For Life in aid of Cancer Research UK was in Sheffield in May 2005. I took part in memory of my three much missed grandparents, with my friend (and now sister-in-law) Claire.

I have taken part in the race at other venues every year since with friends and family. To date (2009 was my 5th year), my sponsors alone have raised over £820. Thank you for your continued support while I keep plodding my way around. I've signed up for the 2010 race too!

Ashgate Hospice, Chesterfield

Whenever possible I include them in my fund raising. The Macmillan Nurses that helped to care for my Dad are based there and I believe that one good turn deserves another!

2010 Charity Calendar

This was the second and last calendar that I created for local fund raisers. The first was in 2008 and the latest cheeky calendar for 2010 was launched on 7th October 2009.

My Dad (a retired cabinet maker and wedding photographer) did the photography and I did the design for the 2008 calendar while battling cancer himself. As a way of saying 'thank you' to him they asked me in early '09 if I would consider creating another calendar for charity, for 2010, on a much larger scale. Concept, design and photo editing by myself, and with excellent photography by David Riley, we hoped that this would be a great boost to their fund raising targets.

The 2010 charity calendar was called "Say Cheese! - Laughter is the best medicine" as my father firmly believed that sentiment. It was a cheeky but tasteful calendar in the style of saucy British seaside humour.

Everyone involved gave their time and skills completely free of charge so that every penny raised would go to charity. The proceeds are being counted and will be shared out equally between Ashgate Hospice (Chesterfield), Cancer Research UK (c/o www.justgiving.com/mybravedad) and the charity chosen by Thorntons (believed to be the NSPCC, as Thorntons very kindly sponsored this by paying for the printing).

My personal thanks and gratitude goes out to those who helped so much in this:

Jo Edwards & the fundraising team at Ashgate Hospice, Dave Riley (photographer),
Staff and volunteers at Ashgate & the Ash Fellows Support Group, Christine Talbot (Calendar News),
The Cornershop (Newbold Back Lane), Chandlers Bar, Barlow Photographic Studio (Barlow),
The Tickled Trout (Barlow), The Gate Inn (Cutthorpe), The Stray'd Katz (excellent group!),
Ashgate Hospice Shops (Dronfield, Chesterfield, Clay Cross, Bakewell, Bolsover & Staveley),
Thorntons (& their Factory Shop), Irongate Printers, (Derby), The Bridge Inn (Dorrington),
Suiteland (Sheffield), Argos (The Moor), FX Hair (Clay Cross), The Real Ale Corner,
Amy Sharabang, The Victoria Inn & many others!