CELEBRITY HERO
BILLY MONGER
Racing driver Billy, who lost both legs in a crash four years ago, raised an amazing £2,376,183 for Comic Relief 2021. Billy, 21, challenged himself to walk, kayak and cycle 140 miles across England. He completed the final 50 miles walking and cycling laps of Brands Hatch race track.The driver, from Charlwood, Surrey, nearly died in the accident in a British F4 race at Donington Park in 2017 but the following year he won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity after returning to a single-seater racing car.
LOU MACARI
Former Stoke City manager Lou Macari has become a champion for the homeless in the Midlands city. Manchester United legend Lou, 72, who played for Scotland in the 1978 World Cup finals in Argentina, set up a shelter for the homeless five years ago but when Covid struck the dormitory-style accommodation was no longer deemed safe. He and his staff found a giant warehouse and installed glamping style pods in it, giving residents an individual place to live under one roof. “There are now 48 men and women and they seem to love it.They get four meals a day, privacy and their own address for applying for jobs,” he said.
Ex-Love Island star and A&E doctor Alex was appointed by Boris Johnson as a youth mental health ambassador during the pandemic. The 30-year-old doctor lost his brother to suicide a few years ago.
After his appearance on Love Island in 2018,Alex, from Carmarthen,Wales, returned to his “day job” working at University Hospital Lewisham, London.
As part of his Mental Health In Education Action Group, he uses social media to raise awareness and “signpost support”.
KEVIN SINFIELD
Rugby player Kevin ran seven marathons in seven days and raised £2.2million for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Former Leeds and England captain Kevin was inspired by his former Leeds Rhinos teammate Rob Burrow who is living with the disease. Five of the marathons were close to the 40-year-old’s home in Saddleworth, near Oldham, Greater Manchester, and the other two were in Leeds.
“If all of our efforts and those of people who made contributions make Rob and his family’s life, and all those in a similar situation, more easy then it’s all been worth it,” said Kevin who has an MBE for services to charity.