THE GRIST’S FAMILY FUNDRAISING SUCCESS.
Earlier this year The Grist family from Thackley’s whole world was turned upside down when Neil Grist had a seizure and was later diagnosed with a Brain Tumour. Neil is 42 and otherwise completely healthy, so this came as a complete shock as is the case for many brain tumour sufferers and their loved ones. One of the main feelings that they have experienced as a family is helplessness; the feeling that there is nothing that they can do to change the situation. One of the greatest sources of comfort has been the level of support that they have received from family and friends.
Originally from Wilsden, Neil has lived in Bradford all his life and has always enjoyed being part of his community. As a young man he played football for Thackley and Eccleshill , later going on to coach young people’s football. When his own children, twins Isobel and Rebecca, came along he became involved in Thorpe Primary School, where they attended, and he was part of the Governing Body for a number of years.
Neil’s wife Andrea decided to arrange a 10k twilight walk with a few family and friends to raise funds for The Brain Tumour Charity who are working hard to find a cure for this terrible condition. However after asking friends and family through Facebook to join them in the walk they were overwhelmed to find 180 friends and family had signed up in a matter of days. They set up a Just Giving Page with the hope of raising £5000 but by the time of the walk they had raised in excess of £15,000 which is an amazing achievement.
The walk took place on 22nd October starting from Roberts Park in Saltaire. It was an amazing turn out with 220 people in a sea of red Brain Tumour Charity t-shirts coming together to support Neil and his family.
To mark the start of the race Neil’s daughter Rebecca and god son Alex started off the singing ‘you’ll never walk alone’ which was a very moving. The long snake of red tea shirts led by Neil then walked the 10k together to show their support finishing off at the Salts Bar for a celebratory drink and more fund raising.
As of this article the fundraising has gone into £17,000 and is still rising an amazing achievement by all involved showing what the power of friendship and support can achieve.
#youllneverwalkalone
