JOHN BEVERLEY is my friend and colleague. I met him in a pub on the M62 junction just before I came to the Upper Holme Valley some ten years ago, we've shared a relationship for a decade now, and in that decade I have grown not only to love John and his family but to admire him greatly.

Today was the proudest moment in my relationship with him because he ran ten kilometres (when I met John he said he was an over weight slob) in the 'Race for Life' in Manchester his home city. John ran in memory of Faith his beautiful daughter and our sister in Christ who died in February 2005 after suffering with cancer.

Faith loved children and when she was between college and university she went to Romania to look after children in an orphanage and help with the DORCAS trust.

John ran today to ensure that the youngsters that Faith worked with in Romania finished their formal education. The £2,000 he raised today combined with the £6,000 given at Faith's funeral has ensured that these youngsters will go on to fulfil this first and important step in their lives. He completed the course in 66 minutes.

'Go Johnny B; go, go go.' ~ Curiously a song John claims to have written!

Rev Sean Robertshore