TWO BROTHERS have raised £5,500 for Primrose Hospice in memory of their grandfather who died from leukaemia.
Mathew Rose, of Heathfield Road and Steve Rose, from Studley, ran the London Marathon on Sunday (April 24) to give back to the charity which helped their family when their grandfather, Derrick, died last year.
“They did so much for him in his final days,” Mathew said, “although it was quite quick from the day he was diagnosed, they did all they could to make him as comfortable as possible.”
They said the organisation continued to help their grandmother who has struggled since losing her husband and they have been there for her when the family have not been able to.
“My Nan now goes there every week and has built up quite a good friendship with some of the people there.
“They help her a lot with day to day things as well. They were very old school, and my grandad did everything. He drove everywhere. Now she gets very nervous with things like withdrawing money from the bank.
“They also helped her with grieving. They really do such a lot and this was just a way of giving back to them.”
The pair completed the 26-mile challenge in four hours and 50 minutes and while 32-year-old Steve said he loved every minute of it, 30-year-old Mathew said he wouldn’t be doing it again.
The two landscape gardeners were cheered on by Steve’s wife Natasha and their parents who had helped the duo in their training.
Natasha said: “They both did fantastically well and even my daughter said to Steve ‘Daddy I am so so proud of you’.”
The family also organised a Great Gatsby-themed fund-raiser raffle last month.
Redditch funeral company Thomas Brothers sponsored the brothers in their challenge and donated £400 to get them off the ground.
