Paisley Daily Express Fundraising Event

10th November 2011
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10th November 2011
REPORTER Jeff Holmes ran up a fantastic amount of cash during the Paisley 10k.

The Paisley Daily Express man has revealed that his final fundraising total was more than £850.

The cash will now go to little-known charity TVT Mum.

It’s a voluntary, non-profit organisation which offers help and support to men and woman who experience severe health problems and complications arising from medical devices made from polypropylene synthetic mesh, which is used for hernias, prolapse, stress urinary incontinence and other bladder and bowel disorders.

Jeff’s wife, Elaine, is a sufferer so the decision to collect cash for the UK-wide TVT Mum was an easy one.

But the manner in which family, friends, colleagues and the good people of Paisley rallied round both surprised and delighted him.

He said: “Money is tight at the moment so people have to be careful with their pennies but that didn’t prevent me from raising more than £850 for TVT Mum.

“The final tally simply blew me away and while I’d never lost faith in human nature, it merely reminded me of how many caring people are out there.”

He added: “Colleagues at the Paisley Daily Express were generous to a fault, while many readers of the paper also backed me to the hilt.

“Others who deserve a special mention are my mum, Lilian, and mother-in-law, May, who started the ball rolling with sizeable donations.

“Tommy McShane at funeral directors, J & W Goudie, Gerry Mulholland and the Royal Engineers, members of the Lambhill Club, the East Ren Coffee Club and the Glasgow Old People’s Welfare Association are also due a huge pat on the back.”

TVT Mum was founded in 2009 by Lorraine Evans, a sufferer, and has helped hundreds of people affected by these medical devices.

Lorraine told the Express: “I want to say a big thank you to Jeff and Elaine and everyone who sponsored him for the race. It was a fantastic sum of money and will help no end.

“Our online support group forum has helped many people cope with ongoing health issues as well as their daily lives.

“This fantastic donation will go towards helping us continue to provide that service.”

For more information on TVT Mum, go to www.tvt-messed-up-mesh.org.uk

To read the article directly showing on the Paisley Daily Express Website please click here >>>

21st September 2011
Jeff may not have won ... but at least he finished!
Sep 1 2011 by Jeff Holmes, Paisley Daily Express
YOU can fly from Glasgow Airport to Charles de Gaulle, Paris, in just over an hour.
Or you can drive from Paisley to Edinburgh in the same time.
Me? I ran the Paisley 10k in 63 minutes and by the end of it I was glad I wasn’t in Paris or Edinburgh – because I needed my bed! Please read more on this direct link to Paisley Daily Express www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk/renfrewshire-news/local-news-in-renfrewshire/paisley-news/2011/09/01/jeff-may-not-have-won-but-at-least-he-finished-87085-29338999/ >>>

Jeff Holmes sponsor sheet: I am running the Paisley 10k sponsor run for the above charity/support group, which helped get my wife, Elaine, through her recent operations and recuperation period. Jeff Holmes

Jeff raised a total amount £850.00 to add to our fundraise target showing on this webpage: www.tvt-messed-up-mesh.org.uk/fundraising.html >>> Many thanks to everyone who sponsored Jeff especially to the 2 mums who kick started things off with donations of £100.00 each, J&W Goudie £100.00, Glasgow Old Peoples Welfare Association (GOPWA) £100.00, Lambhill Club £100.00 and the Royal Engineers £50.00. Jeff's wife Elaine wrote - All these people who donated were so kind and gave because they knew what i'd suffered. I hope this money goes a long way to helping TVT Mum. Elaine Holmes

Message from Elaine: Jeff finished in 63mins & my daughter Carey in 57mins, I was really proud of both of them. I was worried about Carey as she's recently been diagnosed with Asthma & although she used her inhaler 3 times during the race, she was determined to finish.

On Behalf of all the members here at TVT Mum – Well done Jeff and Carey thank you so much for all your efforts, determination and strengths to complete the race. We truly are blessed to have such wonderful people supporting our cause. Lorraine Evans

To all the people who sponsored Jeff Holmes - Many thanks for all your kindness to help Elaine and our charity. The money raised will help us to continue with our work to bring awareness on this growing serious health situation around the UK and also to help those who are on low income to travel to see their consultants. Unfortunately there is a severe shortage of experienced surgeons in the UK and many are having to travel outside of their catchment area to receive the correct treatment. We will always remain to help as many people as we can throughout this difficult time. Lorraine Evans

Well done Jeff, what a fantastic thing to do for our support group at TVT Mum. We will always be here for your gorgeous wife Elaine even though she is not well herself she has shown so much care and affection to everyone in our support group we are sending her a massive group hug. Jeff thank you so much for trying to raise funds for our cause, you're an absolute star!

Date: 28th August 2011 - Ready Get Set Go Go Go ! Good Luck! We will be thinking of Jeff today 28th August 2011 please scroll down this webpage to view the route map. Many thanks to all the people who are sponsoring Jeff.

27th August 2011
IT’S here – well almost.
Paisley’s big race takes place tomorrow and I won’t sleep a wink tonight. No doubt I’ll not move off the couch on Sunday night – after I’ve pounded the beat! Please click here to read more www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk/renfrewshire-news/local-news-in-renfrewshire/paisley-news/2011/08/27/the-time-for-talking-is-over-87085-29309213/ >>>

Follow Journalist Jeff Holmes Progress

11th August 2011
I’m doing it too, you know!
Aug 11 2011 by Jeff Holmes, Paisley Daily Express
PAISLEY Daily Express reporter Jeff Holmes will be there on the starting line – and hopefully should make the finishing line a week on Sunday. Jeff, 51, will be pounding the streets of Paisley in a bid to raise cash and lose weight. Our less-than-confident newsman will be joined by daughter, Carey, who is 21, and has vowed to stay with the pack for as long as he can. He said: “First and foremost it’s about raising some funds for a little-known charity called TVT Mum.
Direct Link to Read More: www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk/renfrewshire-news/local-news-in-renfrewshire/paisley-news/2011/08/11/i-m-doing-it-too-you-know-87085-29213067/ >>>

19th August 2011
10k? What can possibly go wrong?
Aug 19 2011 by Jeff Holmes, Paisley Daily Express
TEN kilometres – or 6.2 miles if you’re not au fait with the modern metric system. Or how about a taxi ride from Paisley High Street to Elderslie – and back again, taking in parts of Ferguslie Park and Asda Linwood for good measure? Whatever way you look at it, the Paisley 10k is far from a stroll in the park, especially if you’re 51-years-old and haven’t trained since the old Millennium. But that’s what I’ll be up to a week on Sunday (August 28) along with 1,000 or so other Buddies-for-the-day.
Direct Link to Read More: www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk/renfrewshire-news/local-news-in-renfrewshire/paisley-news/2011/08/19/10k-what-can-possibly-go-wrong-87085-29261671/ >>>