Football legend Alan Shearer has shown his support for a charity hike from the Sir Bobby Robson statue in Ipswich to the Sir Bobby statue in Newcastle in aid of the late manager’s foundation.
This Monday, April 17, has been labelled ‘Sir Bobby Day’ as two of the manager’s clubs, Ipswich Town and Newcastle United, go head-to-head in the Championship.
With more than 2,000 Newcastle fans expected to make the long journey to Portman Road, it is the journey home that is the most important part of the fixture for one group of supporters.
A group of nine are setting off from the Sir Bobby Robson statue in Portman Road the day after the match and plan to walk all the way to Newcastle in memory of firefighter Lee Hope, a Newcastle fan who died a year ago from bowel cancer aged just 33.
Lee’s brother Scott and his widow Amy Richardson are among those undertaking the daunting 333 mile Hike4Hopey challenge.
Scott, who is also a firefighter, said: “My brother was a massive Newcastle United fan and loved Sir Bobby Robson. “He even asked people for donation to the charity when he married Amy instead of wedding presents.”
Just before he died, Lee asked for any donations in his memory to go to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, an amount that has already reached £4,000.
England and Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer, who is a patron of the foundation, has backed the group’s fundraising walk recently meeting with Scott to chat about the challenge.
“It was a great pleasure to meet with Scott and hear more about Hike4Hopey. “I wish the walkers all the best of luck because that’s a very, very long walk. “Scott talked to me about losing his brother to cancer last year.
“His family have been through an awful lot and it says a lot about them that they’re fundraising for the Foundation at this time.
“It’s always moving and uplifting meeting with fundraisers. Usually they have strong personal or family reasons for wanting to help. Sadly, as we all know, very few people go through life unaffected by cancer.
“Sir Bobby was, quite rightly, incredibly proud of what his Foundation was achieving.
“You could see it in his face when he opened the Sir Bobby Centre back in 2009, which was a great occasion.
“His charity is working hard to find better ways to treat cancer and I can think of no more fitting legacy for the great man than that.”
To donate to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation through #Hike4Hopey see here.
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