The Mark Lingard Fund

Mark's story

Mark was a larger than life man who packed a huge amount of living into his 51 years.

He completed his degree (BVSc), worked in a lovely veterinary practice in Cheshire and then completed his DVR (Diploma in Veterinary Radiology) at Cambridge University. He then embarked on an adventure to study acupuncture in China and then travelled to Australia.

We fell in love and married in Australia before returning to the UK to start and build our own Moy Farm Veterinary Centre. His passion in life was rugby and he played for the local team wherever he was living.

His proudest moments were the births of his children, Kate and Oscar. Mark was a hard working man with an exceptionally sharp intellect who wanted to try and help people in any way he could. He poured his heart into curing his many equine and small animal patients. He was also heavily involved in the community as a school governor and on local councils. He desperately wanted to give as much as possible back to the local, rural area in which we live.

Our lives were changed forever when Mark was diagnosed with a Grade IV Glioblastoma Multiforme (a very aggressive brain tumor). This happened very suddenly with Mark's only sign being him slurring a few words for a couple of days. His brilliant GP referred him the same day for scans that led to the rapid diagnosis of what we were told was an inoperable brain tumor and that he had three months to live. Mark was determined to fight to have longer with his family which led to a second opinion, a conscious craniotomy to debulk the tumor, an intensive 6 week course of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Mark suffered so many setbacks during his treatment but remained incredibly brave and focused and fought for 16 very precious months.

My lovely, strong husband died peacefully at home with his family on 22nd September 2011.

About The Mark Lingard Fund

My children, Kate (15 years) and Oscar (13 years) know how wonderful their Daddy was and we talk about him daily and will continue to do so. We have set up this Fund very quickly after Mark's death to create something positive to come from our loss and to keep Mark's memory alive. We miss him and love him so much.

Throughout Mark's illness it became apparent how little funding is available for research into this devastating illness. We would like to make some small contribution to improving this situation through fundraising for The Brain Tumour Charity. Every pound raised may help spare another family the pain we feel daily.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I hope you will be able to support some of the events we organise or suggest new ways to help us raise money.

The first year total has reached an amazing £20,000! We set out to raise £10,000 and have doubled this. We couldn't have achieved this amazing total without the love and support from so many wonderful family and friends. A HUGE thank you to everyone who has helped in any way!!!

Thank you,
Michelle Lingard

The Mark Lingard Fund - Previous Events

2017 Events and donations

Sat/Sunday 8th & 9th July 2017-Co-Op Funeralcare Tombola at Preesall & Knott End Gala. £115 was raised and kindly donated to the Mark Lingard Fund.

Another hugely successful Christmas cakes raffle raised an amazing £200.94 and made 2 families who won very happy over Christmas! The cakes were made by our friend June Whiteside and were in memory of Mark and her beloved spaniel Bramble.

Personal donation From Sue & Gregor White.

Thank you to Michelle for donating £100 in lieu of sending Christmas cards.

2016 Events and donations

Money kindly donated from Audrey's Birthday party: £100

Charity box from Out Rawcliffe: £41.72

Donation from Jackie & Stephen Cookson: £45.00

Christmas Cake Raffle and donations at Xmas- £353.10 (an amazing cake is made every year by our very dear friend, June Whiteside and each year the cakes are more spectacular and raise more money!

Y4G Youth Group-kindly donated £60

Charity Collecting boxes at Moy Vets sites:£174.90

Knott End News agency Collecting box: £35.00

The Hambleton Fun Run and Walk 1st May 2016: £833.00We had another great turnout with very loyal supporters turning out on another less than perfect weather day! However, a great walk and a great chance to chat and catch up with people. Many thanks to friends and their families and work colleagues and their families for your continued support.

Moy Vets Annual Charity Twilight Dogwalk on 8th June 2016: £143.73 (including JustGiving donations)We had a beautiful evening and walked from Moy Vets Thornton to Stanah Country Park and along the river bank and back to the clinic for drinks and a hotpot supper.A great chance to chat and catch up and for our four legged friends to run and play and get very muddy! Thankyou to everyone who took part.

Thank you Mr Tom Clarke for kindly donating £200 in memory of Mark

2015 events and donations

December 2015

Thank you to Mrs Beer for kindly donating £20

Thank you to Harriet Strahan who raised £220

November 2015

Thank you to J&S Cookson for their kind donation of £40

August 2015

Donation from Helen Sadler £35

Donation from June Whiteside £50

Charity Box collections from Moy Vets sites totalling £91.32

Charity box from Knott End News £2

June 2015

Annual Charity Dog Walk-this is organised by the Moy Vets team and again this year they raised an amazing £232.00 with the support of our wonderful clients and their (very muddy!!) dogs. Thank you all.

February 2015

Michelle visited Kirkland Bridge Nursey School to talk to the children about owning a pet. Kimba and Kurt the guinea pigs came along as did little Jo Jo the miniature dachshund. The nursery donated £25 to the charity as a way of showing their appreciation. Thank you for your kindness.

2014 events and donations

October

Charity donation boxes were emptied in October 2014 at our veterinary clinics in Out Rawcliffe, Thornton, Hambleton and Knott End and just through the small change donations of our very generous and kind clients the total was £252.75. Thank you all so much!

September donations

£500 - donation from the Shovels Fun Run Committee as proceeds from our involvement with the Fun Run in May.

£28.99 - collecting containers from Knott End News Agency with kind thanks to Kate and Richard Ibison and all their staff and customers.

£10 - donation from Mrs Kinder.

Kind Donations from:

Out Rawcliffe Mothers Union £35

Janet Carlon £150

Janet Nuttall and family £200

Collecting Containers at Moy Vets sites: £55.36

2013 events and donations

December

Christmas donations from Mrs Beer, Mrs Fallis and Sue White totalling £85.

Moy Vets donation, instead of sending out Christmas cards this year, was £100.

A very happy Christmas and New Year to everyone who has helped raise funds in Mark's memory in 2013. Thank you!

November

On November 27th 2013 Lancaster Royal Grammar School (LRGS) in Lancaster, Lancashire held a non uniform day to raise funds for The Brain Tumour chairty-Mark Lingard Fund. My son Oscar, is now in lower 6th form and the school have been very supportive to Oscar throughout the difficult times he has endured. Mr Buckland, who is deputy head teacher allowed me to come into school and give a presentation at assembly to the boys to raise awareness levels and inform the boys about brain tumours and the Headsmart campaign. Mr Buckland gave a similar presention to another two year groups to help reach as many boys as possible.

Matthew and Eleanor Hallam- raised £14.45 washing cars during the summer!

Charity boxes at Moy Vets £36.60 and £29.50 thankyou to all our clients for their extra pennies that they put in these boxes.

Lesley Penswick £10 donation

Dick and Jayne Mason £100 kind donation

October

Shovels Pub Charity Presentation Evening - This local pub raise large amounts of money every year and distribute this money to local charities. This money is raised by raffles, bike rides, fun runs and many other events. We were kindly presented with a cheque for £500 for the Mark Lingard Fund of The Brain Tumour Charity. A huge thankyou to the many local people involved in this brilliant pub!

We recieved a very generous donation of £500 from Janet Carlon in memory of her very special retriever, Saffie.

March

The collecting tins at Moy Farm Animal Medical Centre have raised £129.91- thank you to all who have contributed to this total.

St Aidans Cof E High School had a non uniform day in March and had many events at school including a bake sale and teachers in amazing fancy dress costumes. The money raised was split between Comic Relief and The Brain Tumour Charity-Mark Lingard Fund. The incredibly generous teenagers and all staff raised an amazing £790 for The Brain Tumour Charity! A huge thankyou to everyone who worked so hard to raise this money.

Thank you to Anne Walmseley and the staff of Kirkland Bridge Nursery for your kind donation of £25.00 after a visit from Jo Jo the minature dachsund and Kurt and Kimba the guinea pigs!

A big thank you to all of our clients at Moy Farm who have contributed £77.60 to the charity donation box when they bring their pets in.

Thank you to Endurance GB for raising £320.00 for The Mark Lingard Fund at their annual presentation evening.

2012 events and donations

December

We are pleased to announce that the cake raffle raised a brilliant £134!

Christmas Donations

£10- Jackie and Stephen Cookson

£20- Mrs M Beer

£20- Karen Archer

£25- Mrs Ann Walmesley

£30- Mrs E Fallis

£100- Mrs Michelle Lingard- as a donation instead of sending Christmas cards

A huge thank you for these donations that were given in memory of Mark this Christmas.

The Shovels Charity Fun Run Presentation Evening - We were invited, along with 30 other local charities to be presented with a cheque. This amazing local group, based at The Shovels Pub in Hambleton, have raised £13,500 through their annual fun run and many other events and then split this between local charities and groups to support the community. It was a very humbling and emotive evening hearing some amazing stories about local people and their fundraising efforts. A friend and local horse owner (whom Mark had cared for her horses), Lyn Lee, so very kindly nominated The Brain Tumour Charity Mark Lingard Fund. We received a cheque for an amazing £750 - thank you so much to all local people who were involved in this.

July

St Oswalds Dramatists (SODS) - On Sunday 22nd July, 2012 I was presented with a cheque for £1,000 by Anne Markland from St Oswalds Dramatists. This amazing amount of money has been raised at various shows and performance evenings put on by the children of SODS. Michelle, Kate and Oscar would like to extend a huge thankyou to all the families who have given so generously to such a good cause.

June

Great North Swim - My very dear friend Kate Ibison, who was a huge support for my children and myself during Mark's illness again proved her never ending talents by managing to train for and complete the GREAT NORTH SWIM in Lake Windermere. The conditions were terrible and the previous days events had been cancelled but Kate completed the course in fantastic time. She raised an amazing £470 for Mark's Fund.

Garden Party - On Saturday, 16th June, despite terrible weather the Garden Party organised by Janet and David Nuttall and Rebecca and Andrew Royce went ahead. Janet magically moved the whole afternoon indoors into a local sports hall. The marquees, plants, colourful tables laden with food and fantastic jazz band the afternoon was hugely successful raising an amazing £1,481.14! Thank you to everyone who worked so hard and to those who came and enjoyed and were so generous.

Cheshire Triathlon - Alison and Rob Hemingsley and Angie Ashcroft completed this event raising an amazing amount of money for The Brain Tumor Charity-Mark Lingard Fund. Ali, Rob and Angie are close friends of Mark and Michelle and family and trained really hard to complete this event. Thank you to all three for managing to fit this into such busy lives and raising over £1000!

Memorial Rugby Game - A Memorial Rugby Game on Saturday, 12th was held at Fleetwood rugby club, raised £306.92 from a raffle and donations by the players and spectators. Mark played rugby and loved the game and his club, Thornton-Cleveleys, were playing the local 'rivals' Fleetwood. It was a lovely sunny afternoon, many retired players returned to the pitch and no doubt there were many aching bodies the next day. A huge thank you to all the rugby lads and supporters for being so kind a generous. Mark would have loved the afternoon!

Great Eccleston and District Ladies Social - NFU Social at the local Out Rawcliffe Village Hall.

Moy Vets Open Day - The Moy Vets 20th Anniversary Charity Open Day on Sunday, 20th was a huge success and we have raised at least £4,500!!! Blue Peter's Barney Harwood was our special guest and he was wonderful; joining in with everything from blowing up balloons to doing our charity auction. We are very grateful to him for spending the whole day with us – and to all those wonderful people who came along and helped to raise such a huge sum of money! A huge thank you must also go to all staff, friends and family who contributed in so many different ways to make the day such a success.

Collection Boxes - We've raised £93.19 in our Veterinary Centres: Moy Farm Vets and Animal Medical Centre. We would like to thank all our clients who have donated to these boxes when at the clinics.

Thompson Family

Mark's funeral - Donations were recieved from so many family, friends and clients from and have totalled an amazing £3,004!! We would like to thank everybody who contributed.

Non-uniform Day at Saint Aidan's Church Of England High School at Preesall had a non-uniform day on 31st. The proceeds were split between three charities and they have donated £230.00 to The Mark Lingard Fund. A big thank you to the school for remembering Mark - he was a parent governor for quite a few years.

Christmas raffle - A Christmas cake raffle was held at Moy Farm Veterinary Centre and raised £120. Special thanks must go to Mrs Whiteside who made the wonderful cake.

December

50 mile cycle - James Astbury (12) and Callum Baker (13) cycled 50 miles around the Fylde Coast of Lancashire on a very wet and windy December day! The wonderful pair raised £115.67 for The Mark Lingard Fund.

2016 Fundraising Update-Brain Tumour Charity-Mark Lingard Fund

Christmas Cake Raffle and donations at Xmas- £353.10 (an amazing cake is made every year by our very dear friend, June Whiteside and each year the cakes are more spectacular and raise more money!

Y4G Youth Group-kindly donated £30

Charity Collecting boxes at Moy Vets sites:£174.90

Knott End News agency Collecting box: £35.00

The Hambleton Fun Run and Walk 1^st May 2016: £833.00We had another great turnout with very loyal supporters turning out on another less than perfect weather day! However, a great walk and a great chance to chat and catch up with people. Many thanks to friends and their families and work colleagues and their families for your continued support.

Moy Vets Annual Charity Twilight Dogwalk on 8^th June 2016: £60We had a beautiful evening and walked from Moy Vets Thornton to Stanah Country Park and along the river bank and back to the clinic for drinks and a hotpot supper.A great chance to chat and catch up and for our four legged friends to run and play and get very muddy! Thankyou to everyone who took part.