Emotional Final H50key Match

A mixture of triumph and remembrance was felt when on Saturday 12th August Peter Wallis and his family came to the end of an amazing challenge. Peter has spent the last year masterminding a series of 50 sponsored hockey games around the world in celebration of his father Chris's life and love of hockey.

“On the 1st June 2004 my Father, Chris Wallis (a life long hockey player ) lost his 18 month battle with Cancer. 17th August this year was meant to be his 50th birthday and so I am taking up a challenge to raise money for Cancer Research UK and the Iain Rennie Hospice Nurses who cared for him.”

Peter played 48 games, in places as far apart as Rotterdam , Melbourne and Sydney , Warsaw , Christchurch NZ, Bournemouth and included a game of ice hockey and a game of underwater hockey in Wales ! The final two matches took place at RAF Halton.

Ridgeway nurse Rachel Townsley, who cared for Chris before his death in 2004, along with Rowena Dean IRHH Chief Executive and a number of the Community Fundraising team were on hand to cheer on the Wallis Rennie XI in the final match at RAF Halton against Aylesbury Cancer Research XI.

Faced with a talented and experienced opposition the Wallis Rennie team ended the match with a number of additional family members taking to the field. Despite being out-numbered the Aylesbury team managed to win 3-2 but this did not detract from the Wallis family celebration of a wonderful achievement.

It was an emotional end to this extraordinary effort for Peter and his family. Everyone at IRHH is extremely grateful to Peter for going to such extreme lengths to support the work of the nurses.

Peter's family have also been busy raising funds for IRHH. Gill, Peter's stepmother, who lives in Aston Clinton, raised £1500 by doing a parachute jump last year and has also written a book of poetry and his brother Paul ran the London Marathon this year raising £3000.

Describing his feelings about the challenge, Peter says, “Why have I done all of this? Because I loved my father and if by raising this money I can make just a tiny bit of difference to someone's life then I will be happy. My father was an amazing man, he didn't deserve to die and by doing this challenge I hope some good can come out of his death.”

15th August 2006