The Story of how MsMM started and how it is continuing to develop. By Sheila Brazier (last updated 16 May 2007)
Our plans to have another concert in the garden the next year were curtailed just 3 weeks before the planned event, when a neighbour complained to the council that he should not have to suffer “things like this” in a residential area. Although this was quite devastating at the time, it proved to be the catalyst to turn a back garden concert into a significant fund-raiser for the charity.
With little time to rearrange, we approached friends from Brantingham Park, the home of our local Rugby Union club, Hull Ionians. We were overwhelmed by the kindness shown to us. Not only did they arrange a superb hog roast but they even rearranged the timing of a professional Rugby League match. Such is the support of the Rugby world towards the TCT and the plight of teenage sufferers of the “big C”
We could never have anticipated how our “Madness” could have evolved, leading to Rugby Tackling Teenage Cancer and major national fund-raising events for the TCT
The Teenage Cancer Trust exists to address the particular problems of teenage cancer sufferers, recognising that being treated in a children’s ward or alongside the elderly in adults’ wards is not conducive to their well-being. The idea is to return as much control as possible to the teenagers, involving them in the management of their disease and their environment. The specialist units are designed for, and partly by teenagers - where young people can be together and have fun, as well as being given the best possible medical treatment. The cost of each unit is about £500,000. The unit, which covers our area, is in Leeds.
We held our 5th concert on 11th June 2006 and are pleased to be able to report that this was the best so far. For the first time, we were blessed with good weather which meant that our guests could enjoy the sunshine as well as the luxury of the marquee.
In order to maximise our profits we hold promises auctions. The auctions have been interesting and exciting as well as being lucrative. We have had many and various promises to auction ranging from legal and accountancy services, to flying, shooting and sailing lessons. We have had books endorsed and signed by famous and notorious celebrities, limited edition prints, travel vouchers, high class holiday accommodation and attendance at a recording of “Millionaire”.
We have had the support of MP’S who have offered “Tea for Two at the House of Commons”. Our most lucrative “promise” to date has been the opportunity for motorsport enthusiasts to be present at a production of Top Gear. Jeremy Clarkson has said that the waiting list for tickets is currently 17000 and estimates that it would take 19 years to be able to attend the programme in normal circumstances. The winner used the tickets for a special 21st birthday present for her son. At the current reckoning, he will be 40 before he has another opportunity!
Last year, we were able to offer our guests the opportunity to be scared witless as the passenger of a nationally acclaimed rally driver. Seven people attended this event which was better than brilliant! I will never forget one of our friends saying that his face ached as he had been smiling so much. This made the hard work very worthwhile. We hope to be able to have another rally day this year.
Another very significant event, in 2006 was the 25th anniversary of the opening of the Humber Bridge. This was the motivation for a weekend of celebrations which included an abseil from the top. This was a world record for a public abseil from a man-made construction. Unfortunately, because of health and safety issues involving the four letter word – WIND, there were long frustrating delays and many people had to have their jump rescheduled.
We were very fortunate to be able to take the opportunity to make friends with the Royal Marines Commando who were facilitating the event. They were impressed by the resilience and good humour of our little team and were very interested in our Madness fund-raising for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
At the end of the event, the CO Colonel George Matthews said that he and the boys would like to do something for the Teenage Cancer Trust, and would organise an abseil from the Tyne Bridge,in 2007. They are based in the North East and so the logistics will be much easier. It is not rocket science to see that a huge amount could be raised for the TCT in sponsorship. The date for this very special event has been set for Saturday 22nd September and will be part of a weekend’s events which will be headed by the huge concert at the Sage Centre.
The weekend will have maximum media coverage in preparation for the opening of the new Teenage Cancer Trust unit in Newcastle in Spring 2008
Our links with the rugby world have continued and grown. Rugby Tackling Teenage Cancer started with Rugby Union, but now includes Rugby League both professional and amateur. Hull FC is pleased to be the trail blazer with the link to the Teenage Cancer Trust and have kindly allowed us to have our Rugby Tackling Teenage Cancer board at the KC Stadium, in a prime position facing the East stand supporters.
You may have heard that The Who are playing a concert at KC Stadium on Saturday 26 May as part of their European tour. You may not have heard of Roger Daltry’s incredible work for the TCT. We hope to be able to promote our mutual interest in the charity by having flyers inserted in the concert programme. We will also arrange a bucket collection at the gate. We would love to have as many concert-goers as possible wearing the TCT Tshirts. We will ask our friends in the marketing department of Hull College to promote this through the local media.
We are fortunate to have developed links with Hull College and are very grateful for the help students have given us. Their involvement is set to expand in a few weeks time when the Teenage Cancer Trust will be the chosen charity to be supported during their Citizenship week. We look forward to future joint projects with the students, mainly teenagers, caring for other teenagers.
Interest in Rugby Tackling Teenage Cancer is spreading and all of the Super League teams provided prizes for a lunch recently organised by a supporter at the KC Stadium.
One of our recent innovations has been our website: (www.msmm.org.uk) This has been set up by our friend, Iain and his son Matthew, and is very impressive. This keeps our friends in touch with the various strands of our work. We are setting up another website to report about the rugby aspects of the fund-raising www.rugbyttc.org
Another very important development arising from “Madness” is the support of local Freemason’s lodges. Anyone who believes the popular clichés about the Masons has not met our friends. They are focused and very determined to raise very significant sums for the Teenage Cancer Trust. Indications are that the next three Worshipful Masters are to commit their fund-raising efforts to the TCT.
Arguably, the craziest thing to be happening this year has to be the Three Peaks Challenge. This involves the gruelling ascent of the Big 3 British mountains. The team will be accompanied by Jon Amos, a wheel-chair athlete. This will be done under Guinness Book of Records conditions and will be filmed as a documentary. We already have some important sponsorship and have agreed that the participants will be subject to major sports science experiments. Our friends who are behind this, climbed Kilimanjaro a few years ago and so have some experience. Derek’s book, Roof of Africa on Wheels describes the difficulties and dangers they experienced.
The Masons are not only behind us all the way with this, but are also in front, providing strategic manpower and organisation. This will be an enormous and (literally!) high profile event for the Teenage Cancer Trust. All sponsorship arising from the Challenge will be donated to the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Our ultimate ambition would be to have a Teenage Cancer Trust ward at the new State of the Art Cancer and Heart hospital at Cottingham. We should like this to be called Sully’s after the legendary Clive Sullivan – the last GB captain to win the Rugby League World Cup. Clive Sullivan was and still is, immensely popular in Hull (East and West)
A play about his life was a sell-out at Hull Truck Theatre, last year. He lost his personal battle with cancer just a short time after he retired from the game.
We hope to promote our Rugby Tackling Teenage Cancer at the theatre when the play returns to Hull in May.
We feel that “SULLY’S AT COTT” – the East Riding Annexe of Jimmy’s (St James at Leeds) would be a brilliant focus for the very successful Rugby in the area, as well as local businesses.
The benefit to local young cancer sufferers, being able to have some treatment locally would be enormous.
Many wonderful and inspirational things have happened since Madness was initially conceived. Amongst these we have to mention Ellen MacArthur, a friend of a friend, who has extended her world sailing activities to take the time to take young cancer and leukaemia sufferers on sailing trips.
“Taking on the World” seems like a very good place to start. We hope that the potential that has been given to us and our friends will make a world of difference for young people whose lives have been devastated by cancer.
We feel certain that MIDSUMMER MUSIC MADNESS and RUGBY TACKLING TEENAGE CANCER will make a difference for many years to come.
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