Best foot forward for fireman Nick Potts
North Yorkshire firefighter Nick Potts is taking on the challenge of a lifetime in memory of his mum, Diane.
He is competing in this year’s London Marathon to raise cash for York Against Cancer after we helped his mum during her illness in 2016.
Diane had ovarian cancer. She used York Hospital’s cancer care centre, established by YAC, and had her wig fitted there by a staff member funded by the charity. She and husband Bryan also enjoyed a break at YAC’s luxury respite apartment on the West Cliff at Whitby.
Nick took them there and said: “The place was lovely. The weather was really nice. Mum walked down to the front, they had fish and chips – they just relaxed and had some time away.
“Mum thought the cancer care centre was fantastic. She hadn’t wanted a wig but when she tried, it looked great, nobody would ever have known that it wasn’t her own hair.”
Nick and his fiancée Sarah Tremble have been raising money for us for some years and Diane was an enthusiastic supporter of their efforts, bringing and buying books and clothes for the sales they held.
Sadly, Diane passed away in September 2017 but Nick and Sarah remain staunch backers of York Against Cancer.
Nick runs every year in the R U Taking The P? York 5K men-only event to raise cash for cancer care and research.
He also helps Sarah, owner of Serendipity Gym in Selby, when she holds regular weekend-long fundraising events. Last year he rode the equivalent of John O’Groats to Land’s End on a static bike outside the gym while Sarah and her members held classathons inside.
The London Marathon will be a completely new challenge, though, says Nick, a member of the Blue Watch fire crew at Selby.
“This is the marathon I’ve always wanted to do,” he said. “I’ve done the Great North Run twice and tried five times to get in for the London Marathon but not had any luck until now. I couldn’t believe it when I got a ballot place this time!”
The event takes place on April 28 and Nick’s training is well under way with Sarah’s help. “By the end of March I want to be the fittest I have ever been,” he said.
Fundraising is also well in hand, with £500 in donations from Diane’s funeral and other cash coming in, but Nick would like to raise as much as possible. You can support him on his JustGiving page here: http://www.justgiving.com/Nick-Potts?utm_id=121
Julie Russell, YAC general manager, said the charity was touched by the loyal support shown by Nick and Sarah. “We’re really grateful and we wish Nick all the very best for his big day, along with all the other runners out there,” she said.