20 years of fundraising: One man’s dedication to making a difference
When John’s daughter was diagnosed with lupus and became seriously ill in 2006, his life changed forever. She was undergoing dialysis, had received four blood transfusions, and the family were told she may have only six weeks to live.
Doctors even prepared John for the possibility of arranging a funeral. Then came the news that would transform everything: John was a 100% match to donate a kidney to his daughter.
John’s daughter, Tara
“They told me that shouldn’t really be possible,” John said. “It felt like a miracle.”
John donated his kidney to his daughter, giving her the chance of a future – and giving him a new sense of purpose.
During those long days in hospital, John saw many other children and families facing frightening and uncertain times. The experience changed how he saw the world, and from then on, he knew he wanted to do more to help others.
Shortly after the successful transplant, he bought a bike and set himself a formidable first challenge: cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats in just nine days.
The gruelling challenge saw him covering around 114 miles each day, through relentless rain, and sleeping in a tent at night. “It rained for the entire week,” John remembered. “It was tough.”
That first ride was only the beginning. John spent time working with the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys (RMTGB) and went on to become a Festival Ambassador for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight 2020 Festival.
In 2014, he travelled across Dorset and beyond, speaking at more than 40 lodges and encouraging Freemasons to get involved. His talks took him to Hampshire, London, Wiltshire, and Kent, helping to raise a considerable sum for the RMTGB.
Over the past two decades, John has taken on countless fundraising challenges, each one driven by the same commitment – to help people when they need it most:
- John cycled from the Rock of Gibraltar to Branksome in Dorset raising £17,000 for the RMBI.
- He then ventured from Edinburgh to Portsmouth, raising £7,000 for the Royal College of Surgeons.
- In 2010, he embarked on a journey cycling to every masonic centre in Hampshire for the RMTGB, raising £15,000.
- In 2011, his cycling challenges raised over £10,000 for Help for Heroes.
- In 2022, John completed a 50-mile sponsored swim raising £7,000.
- In 2024, accompanied by Assistant Provincial Grand Master Nigel Edwards, he cycled the Camino del Norte to Santiago de Compostela, raising £20,000.
- In 2025, he then cycled the France Camino to Santiago and onto Finisterre, raising £20,000 for the MBF Mark Degree.
- In 2026, he cycled the northern route over the Picos mountains in Galicia to Santiago de Compostela and back again, covering 800 miles and raising £13,000 for the Freemasons’ Charity and £1,740 for Lifelites children’s charity.
So far, John has raised approximately £787,000 for charity, including £554,000 for the Freemasons’ Charity – an extraordinary total built through persistence, generosity and the support of people who believed in his mission.
John’s charitable commitment continues today through his work as a Visiting Volunteer for the Freemasons’ Charity, supporting people seeking help in his local area apply for grants.
I was like everyone else; I’d put a fiver in or buy a raffle ticket every now and then. But giving my daughter a kidney in 2006 changed everything. I realised I could do something different, something more. My hope is that what I’ve raised goes to those who need it most, especially children who need real help.
For John, the message is simple: every act of generosity matters. “Continuous giving is the way to go,” he said. “Something as little as £2.50 a week can make the world of difference.”
And he has no plans to stop. “I’m turning 72 in November, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop fundraising for the Freemasons’ Charity,” John said. “I might not be able to cycle for much longer, but I’m thinking of abseiling down the Spinnaker Tower next year.”
John’s story is a powerful reminder that life-changing support is possible when people come together. Whether through a major challenge, a regular donation, a raffle ticket, or a few pounds a week, each contribution helps us to reach more people, offer more support and bring hope when it is needed most.
