Friends scale the heights to raise vital funds in memory of Dave

Friends of young dad Dave Wall, who died two months after being diagnosed with bowel cancer, have scaled the heights of Lakeland's eight tallest fells raising thousand's of pounds for the cancer charity who helped to care for him.
Friends Simon Bleasdale, brother Nick Bleasdale, Dean Ash, Eugene Marchuk, Joel Jackson, Tom Barnes, Lloyd Rigby and Chris Pigott, Adam Wall,  Rob Thompson and Geoff Thompson scale eight Lakeland Fells in memory of Dave Wall, 28.Friends Simon Bleasdale, brother Nick Bleasdale, Dean Ash, Eugene Marchuk, Joel Jackson, Tom Barnes, Lloyd Rigby and Chris Pigott, Adam Wall,  Rob Thompson and Geoff Thompson scale eight Lakeland Fells in memory of Dave Wall, 28.
Friends Simon Bleasdale, brother Nick Bleasdale, Dean Ash, Eugene Marchuk, Joel Jackson, Tom Barnes, Lloyd Rigby and Chris Pigott, Adam Wall, Rob Thompson and Geoff Thompson scale eight Lakeland Fells in memory of Dave Wall, 28.

Dave, 28, from Preston, first discovered he had cancer on Christmas Eve 2015. Despite his determination to beat the disease, he died just eight weeks later on February 18.

The UCLAN Sports Arena groundsman married his long-term girlfriend Hannah in May 2015. The couple lived in Ashton with their one-year-old daughter Imogen.

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His childhood friends Simon Bleasdale, brother Nick Bleasdale, Dean Ash, Eugene Marchuk, Joel Jackson, Tom Barnes, Lloyd Rigby and Chris Pigott decided to take on the gruelling trek in his memory raising more than £8,000 for the Rosemere Cancer Foundation.

Dave Wall, wife Hannah and daughter Imogen on their wedding day in May 2015Dave Wall, wife Hannah and daughter Imogen on their wedding day in May 2015
Dave Wall, wife Hannah and daughter Imogen on their wedding day in May 2015

The group, which also included Dave’s brother Adam Wall, his brother-in- law Rob Thompson and father-in- law Geoff Thompson completed the 48km trek in just 48 hours.

They scaled eight of the Lakes highest peaks, among them Scafell Pike, England’s highest mountain.

Dave’s best man Simon, his friend since primary school said: “Dave’s illness and death came as a tremendous shock.

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“One minute we were celebrating his marriage and looking forward to the future and the next, we were together again for his funeral.”

Dave Wall, wife Hannah and daughter Imogen on their wedding day in May 2015Dave Wall, wife Hannah and daughter Imogen on their wedding day in May 2015
Dave Wall, wife Hannah and daughter Imogen on their wedding day in May 2015

Dave was a pupil at Archbishop Temple School in Fulwood and also studied at Newman College.

After completing a course in Sports Turf at Myerscough he worked as a groundsman for Preston North End FC.

Simon added: “Dave was a fit, outdoors person. He even chose a career that meant he could work outside and he would have loved to have tackled a challenge like the one we’ve just done in his memory.

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“For this reason, we think it’s a fitting tribute and we did it for Rosemere as staff at Rosemere Cancer Centre were superb in dealing with Dave.”

As a training exercise and to raise extra funds, the group also took part in a “Colour Dash” – a 6km run – organised by Fulwood’s Archbishop Temple School Parent Teacher Association.

Dave, Hannah and most of the challenge group are former pupils of the school and its PTA donated a proportion of the dash’s proceeds to the group.

Joel Jackson, who met Dave at high school added: “We’re incredibly grateful to the school for agreeing to help us.

“It’s heart-warming to know that Dave is still fondly remembered there after all these years.”

To donate to the cause www.justgiving.com/davidpeterwall