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Mark on the march for the Christie

Glossop Cricket Club scorer Mark Senior is set to finish his ‘Walk for Life’ in aid of The Christie this Saturday in memory of his wife Sue.

Since the first fixture, which sent Mark marching to Flowery Field back in April, he’ll have walked to 11 away games – some more than 20 miles away. 

He also had to ensure he was early for the games as Mark is the North Road club’s first team scorer. 

Mark, who runs a bookselling business, has been getting up as early as 5.30am to make it to some matches, braving the mixed English weather to make it to clubs such as Brooksbottom, Ramsbottom, Austerlands and Heywood.

The ‘Scorer’s Challenge’ is one of many fundraising events Mark has taken on to support The Christie hospital, where Sue was treated for brain cancer until her death in 2015. 

He said: “Sue would have been 60 this year, so instead of planning a birthday party I was thinking what can I do to mark that anniversary and help The Christie out. 

“For some reason, I decided that walking to all the away fixtures that the first team play for Glossop was a sensible idea – 20 weeks in and having got wet several times, I’m not quite sure!”

The club is very much a family affair for Mark, with his son Daniel, 22, having played for Glossop since he was 11 and his daughter Hannah, 16, also involved in scoring for the second team. 

Sue (pictured below) was also a ‘massive sports fan’ with the club supporting the family through Sue’s illness and since her passing. 

“When I first mentioned it to the cricket club themselves they thought I was a bit daft, but they decided that they’d have to back the idea if they needed the scorer to be there,” said Mark.

“The first and second team have supported me massively, and we’ve also had a lot of support from all the clubs that I’ve walked to.” 

This Saturday is the last leg of Mark’s impressive feat, finishing with a roughly 10 mile walk to Uppermill Cricket Club. 

So far Mark has raised £3,925 of his £5,000 goal for The Christie, with donations pouring in from kind strangers following his progress online, clubs, friends and those who remember Sue as a much-loved teacher at Simmondley Primary School for many years. 

He added that it has been a ‘privilege’ to help the world famous hospital. 

“I’m just trying to do a bit to help them, to give back for what they did to make life easier for Sue towards the end,” said Mark.

“There were lots of things they were able to do and really what I’ve tried to do is make it easier for the superstars they are, because they’re fantastic.

“Sue showed us how to deal with something as devastating as a cancer diagnosis and she grabbed everything out of every day.” 

Anybody who wishes to support Mark on his final walk is welcome to do so - he will be leaving North Road at 7.30am on Saturday morning, joined by several of both the first XI and second XI playing squads, as well as other club members.

You can donate to Mark’s JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mark-senior-sue-at-60.

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