At lunchtime on the 14th October last year, I was walking back to the Station from Boots with my meal deal, thinking I'd give Mike a call once I'd sat down.  On that walk, my phone rang.  It was the call that changed everything, as the gentle voice of a friend told me the news that I'd always hoped I'd never hear.  The words swam in my mind, sinking to my stomach and my world fell through the floor,  thinking there must be a mistake.  My best friend, Mike had taken his own life after a long battle with depression.

For those of you who had the honour of knowing him, Mike really was a one off!  Whether you had the pleasure of working with him when he just couldn't apply his blinkers and left you late booking off duty...AGAIN, he was awarding a 'runners up prize' to a naughty driver, or you witnessed the anaemic looking supernoodles he insisted on eating for refs, you'd be hard pushed not to like him.  His quirky sense of humour would never fail to brighten a cloudy day. Maybe it was his laugh you warmed to, the twinkle in his eye, or a bit of both!  A good friend to so many - maybe he was your walking companion, on your Dad's & Lads fishing trip, your gossip and brew buddy, or dispenser of wisdom - even if it was sometimes unwelcome, but always well intentioned!  Phone calls were always answered, text messages returned and his turn at Scrabble played even if it resulted in a suitable thrashing!  There was another side to him too that I always admired. He made such a difference to so many people, particularly with his Family Liaison work.  I sometimes wonder how many cups of tea he made for heartbroken families, how many tissues were dispatched, how many people he soothed and supported with his kind words on their darkest days.  I'm not actually sure I could keep count if I tried.  What I do know, is that he was the man, despite his own troubles, demons and struggles, who never tired of giving to others.

So...this is why I'm here, along with his cousin Tanya, to try and do the man who meant so much to us both, his family and to so many others, proud.  We're aiming to raise money in his name to support the UK's Police Treatment Centres, particularly Auchterader, which did so much for him and so often put a spring back into his step. We're planning our sky-dive hopefully on the 30th September 2012 - his birthday weekend. The thought of sky diving terrifies me, but it seems fitting to do something exceptional for a truly exceptional man. 

Big or small, your donations will make a difference not only to the Police Treatment Centres, but also comfort us all, as we work through the pain of losing such a special man.

Thank you

Lesley x x

PS: Just Giving would like me to tell you the following -

"Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity."