Fun day raises hospice funds in young teacher’s memory

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Julie and Alan…determined never to forget. Pic: Guy Toyn

The parents of a young teacher raised thousands of pounds in his memory when they organised a third annual football tournament for the hospice which cared for him.

Craig Muir, of Castle Hill Avenue, New Addington died aged 22 in March 2012, just six days after being told his cancer had returned.

Parents Alan and Julie have tirelessly supported St Christopher’s Hospice with skydives, marathons and pub crawls.

Craig was a keen Rangers fan and much of the £25,000 the couple have raised so far has come from the tournament and family fun day run by his parents at Greenacres, in Limpsfield Road, Warlingham.

Attractions at last weekend’s event included face painting, pony rides, a bouncy castle, tombola, and an auction, with prizes donated by bands Arctic Monkeys and Queen guitarist Brian May.

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Star in the making fires home. Pic: Guy Toyn

Julie Muir, 46, took up sky diving to raise money for the hospice and also ran the London Marathon.

‘It was terrifying jumping out of a plane at 15,000 feet – but because you are strapped to somebody you haven’t got a choice,’ she said.

‘It all started off to remember Craig and then raising the money has been a bonus. It has kept us focused and positive.’

Craig was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma in his left eye in February 2010, when he was just 20 and halfway through his final year at the University of Kent in Canterbury, where he was studying maths and statistics.

He had eye surgery in March that year, and returned to complete his degree after being given the all clear, but it tragically returned two years later.

Craig had been given a place at to train to become a maths teacher at Bromley Schools Collegiate in September 2011.

Alan Muir said: ‘When he first passed away were so scared he was going to be forgotten.

‘Doing this is our way of giving something to Craig – we can’t give him birthday presents and Christmas presents any more. At the same time we raise money for charity.’

The tournament attracted 16 teams of Craig’s friends and relatives and raised around £4,700 for St Christopher’s Hospice.

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Brave keeping…Pic: Guy Toyn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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