19 July 2010
©InfoTwelve-year-old Nathan, from Warrington in Lancashire, will be raising money for the Red Cross fire and emergency support service (FESS) in Northern Ireland. Volunteers in Belfast helped members of the Holland family immediately after they tragically lost grandfather Jim Francis during a house fire in May.
Now Nathan plans to complete the punishing Yorkshire three peaks challenge – twice over – this August, walking through the night to cover 52 miles, 10,000 feet and six peaks.
Volunteers ‘enormous help’
Nathan’s mum, Julie, explained: “Nathan and my Dad were very close and he told me it’s an honour to do the walk for him. The FESS volunteers in Belfast were an enormous help to our family in the early hours that morning at the scene of the fire, offering my brother and other family members shelter and privacy at a very distressing time.
“Nathan wants to give something back and hopes to raise £2,000 in memory of his grandad on behalf of our extended family. My father is missed by so many – we were so proud when at least 700 people attended his funeral.”
Fundraising thank you
Julie added: “He adored his five grandsons and loved to tell people of their achievements, so I know he’d be so pleased that Nathan and the family are fundraising to help those who helped us. We’ve been overwhelmed by people‘s generosity already and it‘s fantastic to think how that generosity will enable the Red Cross to help other shocked and hurting families.”
Despite his tender years, Nathan is already an accomplished walker and has been walking the three peaks since he was nine.
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