Year of fundraising, honours, runners and even superheroes
●●HERE is the second part of our review of 2018:
JULY
BROTHERLY love was put to one side as twins prepared to do battle in the boxing ring.
Rod and David McInnes, from Bridgehall and Edgeley respectively, were set to go head to head at the White Collar Fighter event at Bowler’s in Trafford Park
After years of arguing who was the better man, the pair, aged 33, were ready to find out once and for all – in front of their mum Mandy and six brothers and two sisters.
An animal-lover and passionate vegan cycled from Stockport to Scotland to raise money for veterinary charity PDSA.
Chris Greenbank, aged 32, who works at The Allotment Vegan Restaurant on Vernon Street, pedalled 300 miles during the sweltering heatwave to raise funds and awareness.
He finished his challenge at Scotland’s first vegan festival, V in the Park, near Newton Stewart, after four days of cycling.
A team from Stockport Homes Group trekked up Scafell Pike to raise money for their Charity of the Year, Reuben’s Retreat.
The self-titled Reuben’s Trekkers set off in the early hours of July 21 to climb 3,209 feet to the summit of England’s highest mountain.
The group’s main fundraising event for 2018, the climb raised nearly £4,000 for the charity founded in memory of Reuben Michael Graham, who died at the age of 23 months.
AUGUST
THE Legion d’Honneur – France’s highest award for courage – was awarded to the family of a Second World War veteran.
Francis Scott, from Heaton Mersey, was awarded the Legion d’Honneur for his service in the Royal Navy, clearing mines during the Second World War in the lead up to D-Day.
The French authorities sent Mr Scott’s medal to him in May 2017, but he passed away at the age of 92 before receiving it and it was lost in the post.
Stockport MP Ann Coffey made enquiries for the family and it was reissued to the Scott brothers.
The Friends of Stockport Cemeteries invited the mayor and mayoress of Stockport to help them celebrate their 15th anniversary.
To mark 15 years of working together, they held a garden party in Bramhall on Sunday, August 5.
The group formed in August 2003 and over the years raised thousands of pounds to improve Stockport’s cemeteries.
A mini ‘twister’ was spotted swirling around the skies of Stockport.
The tornado-like cloud formed above Poynton and Bollington, however the Met Office only define a cloud as a tornado if it touches the ground.
It is possible the sight was a funnel cloud, which is the same as a tornado – it just doesn’t reach the earth.
SEPTEMBER
MORE than 850 runners pounded the pavements through the centre of the town for the Big Stockport Run.
First held in 2012 as an Olympic legacy event, the run had more than doubled in size, including a 10-kilometre race and a family fun run.
Runners came dressed as Pokémon character Pikachu, superheroes, unicorns and even bananas.
A stunned Claire Foy fought back the tears as she won her first Emmy Award for her role on The Crown.
The Stockport-born star gave an emotional acceptance speech after scooping the lead actress in a drama series prize during the Los Angeles ceremony.
Stockport’s NHS wheelchair centre was giving wheelchair users special ‘driving courses’ to help them drive their
chairs smoothly and safer.
The powered wheelchair course was the only one of its kind from the NHS in the north west and one of the first in the country.
OCTOBER
A PAIR of husband and wife paramedics starred in an award-winning BBC documentary.
Andrea and Glynn Hardy saved lives side-by-side on camera with the North West Ambulance Service as part of the show, Ambulance.
More than 350 people attended the seventh Stockport Business Awards at the town hall.
The black tie dinner, hosted by television presenter Jenny Powell, celebrated the success and achievements of the area’s finest.
More than £4,000 was raised for charity partner Signpost Stockport for Carers through a raffle.
A trio of brave Stockport retirees were also raising money for charity – by stripping off.
Chris Lawton, of Blythe Avenue, aged 59, 61-yearold Marie Hogan, of Broadstone Road, and great grandmother Vera Jones, of Brackley Road, aged 75, were part of a group of women who created a Calendar Girls-style charity calendar for Breast Cancer Care.
The women posed nude in the kitchen, by the fire and even behind the wheel of a tractor, with everything from knitting to wine glasses covering their dignity and raised £4,000 in resale orders alone.
NOVEMBER
THE award-winning writer and star of Early Doors, Phil Mealey, switched on the Christmas tree lights at Foodie Friday in Stockport Market Place.
The actor, who had completed a sell-out tour of Early Doors live – a theatre version of the comedy sitcom set in the town – switched on the illuminations a 7pm on Friday, November 30.
The event, part of the town’s street food festival help in the last Friday of every month, will also feature Den Toad from Stockport Plaza, members of the pantomime cast, young Heatons band Derailer and a host of local performers, from ladies cornershop harmony choir Crystal Chords to The Tall Faces, playing 1960s mod covers.
Redrock Stockport exceeded expectations as it turned one year old.
More than 750,000 people had visited the leisure complex in the past 12 months to watch a film, enjoy a meal or work out – more than double the number predicted.
A team of fitness fanatics transformed themselves into superhero characters to welcome guests into their new womenonly gym.
The new facility, Hero Fitness, on Heaton Lane, Stockport, allowed entry to men when accompanied by an in-house trainer.
Staff dressed up as Marvel Comics characters Spiderman, iron Man, Wolverine and Captain America, and rival DC Comics’ Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn to launch the new gym.
DECEMBER
IN December, four people from Stockport who had been affected by the neurological condition, multiple sclerosis (MS), starred in a photography exhibition.
The MS Connection aimed to highlight the impact of loneliness and isolation on people living with the condition.
It featured 19 people from across the UK – all affected by MS – including Soo Lyon-Milne, aged 53, who has secondary progressive MS, her son Charlie and partner Dave Varley, of Oak Road, Cheadle, and MS Society group co-ordinator Richard Boned, aged 58, who was diagnosed with MS when he was 15.
In ST George’s Church in Heaviley, the 12th annual Christmas tree festival was held. There were more than 90 trees in total – the largest so far – and thousands of people visited.