A few of you who follow me personally, or on Twitter, will know that I’ve undergone something of a change recently.
I glanced in the mirror a few weeks ago and noticed something: I’m a bit tubby. It’s all well and good rubbing it and saying ‘all paid for’, but the truth is it has health implications further down the line, and so I’m working to stay fit. Life is a gift, and not one we should take for granted.
Yesterday, before the England game, I walked from my house to Wragby (19km), trying to get ready for a big climb I’m doing this weekend. Myself and three lifelong mates are going to climb Scafell Pike and whilst they are relatively fit, for me it will be the single most challenging day of my life, without a doubt. Yesterday was the furthest I’ve ever walked in a single day in my life and I’m scared of heights. I decided to do it for me, to prove I can, but then former Imps’ boss Chris Moyses asked if I was doing it for a charity. I thought maybe proving it to myself was selfish when so many of you good people said you would sponsor me to do it.
That’s why I shall now be doing it to support the great Tony Lormor. Usually, when you say ‘great’ about a player, you’re talking about goals (I recall 4-2 v Scunthorpe, but Carlisle will surely be many people’s first recollection), or endurance during his career (coming back from serious injury). However, when you say great in relation to Tony Lormor, it is probably referring to his post-career experiences, twice beating cancer and providing hope and inspiration to thousands in doing so. ‘Stormer’ has become more than an ex-player on recalls fondly, he has become a hero all over again for his courage, strength and attitude in the face of extreme adversity.
It is the very least I can do to support Briteside, the CIC he set up to help other sufferers through his own experiences. You can find their website here, if you want to read more about his story and what he does now.
If you wish to skip straight to the bit where you back me to climb a mountain, and in doing so support this amazing man in his endeavours to help others you can do so at the link below. It will take you to a Go Fund Me page he has set up, rather than a Just Giving or anything like that. Your sponsorship will go straight to Tony and Briteside, helping him towards his target. You don’t need to put a message about Scafell on there either by the way – this isn’t about me. This is about you, the wonderful readers of the Stacey West, being willing to donate to a brilliant cause, all I’m doing is facilitating that by climbing a mountain. In literal terms, it is a big thing for me, but Tony has climbed mountains every day for a couple of years now, something I have been in awe of, more so than at any time he pulled on a red and white shirt (and by the way, I loved him as a player!).
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