We’re doing the Great North Run in memory of our uncle from Lancaster who was like a second dad to us

Brother and sister, Kurt McGuinness, 36, and Faye McGuinness, 35, from Halton will run the 13.1 mile course from Newcastle to South Shields on September 8 in memory of their uncle who was like a ‘second father’ to them, to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

Trev Williams, who worked most of his nursing career at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, passed away from a heart attack, aged 68, while he was on holiday with friends in Benidorm in April 2022.

He had been diagnosed with diabetes but his family believe he had experienced no previous symptoms of a heart attack.

Kurt, a former member of the armed forces, said: “We just both want to pay homage to this truly wonderful man. He was such a caring person and always put others before himself. Family was everything to him. We were everything to him and he was taken far too soon.

“He was so loved and people would just gravitate towards him. I remember one time being at the infirmary and I was walking down the corridor and I could hear him laughing and chatting with the patients. He just made everything better for everyone.

“He’d write to me every single week while I was on my three tours of Afghanistan, checking in with me, sending me treats and he did it because he knew how much I needed those letters. He’d always tell me how proud he was of me. I needed that when things were so challenging and horrendous to be honest.”

Kurt said that Trev was the pillar of their family and his loss had left a massive hole in their lives.

“Faye and I are just looking forward to being able to do this run and spend that time and effort knowing we’re doing it for him,” he added.

To sponsor Kurt and Faye go to https://www.justgiving.com/page/kurt-mcguinness

To take on your own AJ Bell Great Run Series Event for the BHF visit www.bhf.org.uk/AJBellGreatRuns