Since Mark’s untimely death in 2015, his family, friends and colleagues have raised funds and hosted several screening sessions with Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) in his memory. As early 2025 will see the tenth anniversary of his death, Mark’s colleagues from Blue Watch at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Sandyford Fire Station set about arranging an event to remember him and fundraise towards a further day of screening. In previous years, the Mark Hancock Memorial Ride saw great success, with cyclists retracing the 50 plus miles of Cheshire countryside that Mark enjoyed on his last bike ride. As a lover of the outdoors who was proud of his local area, Mark also loved walking and would often lead us, his family, up the narrow paths out of our town towards Mow Cop and onto sections of the Gritstone Trail.
Spanning 35 miles from Disley, near Stockport, across the south-western edge of the Peak District National Park to Kidsgrove, a few miles down the road from Mark’s fire station in Sandyford, The Gritstone Trail is usually walked in three days. However, undeterred by the distance and terrain, Blue Watch decided to take it on in one – a fitting tribute to their friend and colleague and an ample challenge to promote the work of CRY.
At 5am on the 11th of August 2024, the watch, along with Mark’s children George and Lily and firefighter Liam’s wife Louisa, met at the fire station for the drive to Disley. Setting off with a chill in the air and while the sun rose over the hills, we were on the trail be 6am. Ascending the hills over Disley revealed blue skies and cloud inversions in the valleys below, while the early morning sun glistened off the glass of Manchester’s sky-scrapers from Sponds Hill, the highest point of the walk at 1345 feet above sea level. The pace was set early by the group’s resident trail-runner Paul, guiding us towards the first landmark, White Nancy, and on towards Macclesfield Forest and the first stop at Tegg’s Nose Country Park. By now, the temperature was into the high twenties and everyone was grateful to refill their bottles and savour their first slice of brownie, delivered by Mark’s wife, Angela, who also swapped places with Lily. Shortly after 10am the second leg began, taking in Sutton Common Tower before dropping down towards Bosley enroute to the second stop at The Cloud, albeit via several miles of head-high bramble bushes.
Before long, we were away again for the final leg of the day. This time, Lily replaced Angela and the group expanded to include several more of the firefighters’ relatives. Their fresh legs motivated the rest of us as we ascended Mow Cop, revealing views once again of Manchester, Liverpool and the distant mountains of Snowdonia. Soon, the sun turned towards the horizon and the pace began to drop. While legs tired and feet ached, the encouragement of several members of the public drove everyone on to the finish, wearily climbing the steps from the canal path into Kidsgrove train station’s car park just after 7pm.
Over the course of 13 hours and 14 minutes, we walked 35 miles, or 74,780 steps, and climbed 5344 feet (roughly the equivalent of Ben Nevis, plus a quarter!). The watch, Louisa and George walked the entire trail, while others joined us along the way. Thanks to Vicky, Rob, Liam, Jake and Paul and those who ferried bottles and food, drove us to the start and donated, we were able to raise £2550 for CRY to secure our next screening sessions at the fire station. With blue skies for Blue Watch throughout, we are sure that Mark was smiling down at us throughout the day, proud that we were honouring him and raising money for a good cause in the beautiful countryside of Staffordshire and Cheshire that he called home.
