Staffordshire man's Gumball rally adventure to bring in funds for Stourbridge hospice
A man from Staffordshire is planning to take part in a UK gumball-like rally to raise money for The Mary Stevens Hospice in Stourbridge in memory of his partner who died from cervical cancer.
Matthew Rhodes, aged 38, from Essington, will take on the week-long rally with friends in memory of Clare Lewis, aged 47, who died on December 30 last year.
Clare was diagnosed with cervical cancer a month earlier after losing weight and suffering pains.
Now Matthew and Clare's stepson, Jordan, aged 19, are preparing to take part in the rally which will see themselves and friends travelling in three convertible Minis chased by friends, acting as police, who want to apprehend them for crimes against fashion.
They hope the event, arranged by Alan Pittaway, from Norwich, will raise £10,000 through donations to a JustGiving page in Clare's name.
Clare, who worked as operations manager for Debenhams at Merry Hill, requested there be no flowers at her funeral and asked instead for donations to the hospice, a move which has already raised £4,540 for the charity.
Matthew, an accounts manager with an IT company, said: "I have been faced with perhaps the toughest time of my life.
"My fiancee Clare Lewis, who I was to marry later this year, lost her battle with cervical cancer and passed peacefully at home in my arms.
"We set up the Clare Rhodes Foundation and already a vast amount of money has been raised for this amazing cause which was close to Clare's heart.
"I want to keep that legacy going with more fundraising and help and like the Italian Job movie, plan to set off on August 2, from the Hospice, with myself dressed as Gizmo, from the film Gremlins, in a yellow mini.
"Gizmo was my nickname for Clare and so I felt it appropriate."
The friends will be "chased" to St Ives, one of Clare's favourite spots, Cardiff, Barmouth, Liverpool and return to The Crown at Stourbridge, opposite the hospice on August 8, when Matthew hopes people will join them and help raise further funds.
Matthew said: "Clare was truly a remarkable, loving and caring lady whose legacy that she had for helping others will remain.
"She was an amazing, wonderful, wonderful woman, caring and selfless with a beautiful smile and an enormous heart.
"I am truly lost without her but she would want people to celebrate her life and remember her for the fun-loving lady that she was."
Clare typically said that she wanted prosecco, Ibiza music, Motown and dancing at her funeral.
Matthew is keen that as many individuals and businesses as possible get behind the fundraising attempt and donations can be made through justgiving.com/fundraising/clarescrazycruise.
