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Daily journalist scales heights for charity

A regional daily reporter is to join forces with a group of nursery workers, scaling the heights of an iconic London landmark to raise cash for their colleague who died from cancer.

For the second year running, the Burton Mail’s Mark McKay will join a 20-strong team of day nursery workers to climb to the top of the O2 arena – formerly the Millennium Dome.

Last year the team raised a total of £5,000, in the hope of giving terminally ill nursery worker Alison Hadfield the wedding of her dreams.

But instead the cash was later donated to Cancer Research UK and the Stillbirth and Neonatal Charity (Sands), after Alison died before her dream of walking down the aisle could be granted.

Mark McKay and the Stretton Day Nursery Team at the top of the O2 last year

Nursery Manager Helen Eaton said the charity event helped them to keep Alison’s memory alive.

She said: “I think what happened to Ali has made us all seize life.

“If you fancy doing something, then it’s a case of seeing how we can do it, rather than saying we can’t.

“We all miss her to bits, but it is fantastic she was able to achieve so much, and inspire us all to do this.

“It’s great that our families and team have clubbed together again.”

Proceeds from this year’s climb will again be given to Cancer Research UK and Sands, and all donations, no matter how big or small, will be gratefully received.

Anyone who would like to donate to the climb can do so at www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/ClimbingAnIcon

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  • May 12, 2014 at 2:29 pm
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    An “iconic landmark”, HTFP? Really? Are people genuinely bowing down and worshipping the O2?

    Seriously, I find ‘iconic’ to be one of the most casually over-used words of journalese. A building can be a famous landmark, of historical or architectural importance, well-used, world-renowned, popularly remembered, an admired part of the streetscape or of some other local significance. But iconic? The Taj Mahal, perhaps, but few others!

    Well done to the charity fundraisers, anyhow!

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