Four directors from heating and renewables company PHS and 0800 Repair are taking on a demanding 56-mile, two-day walking challenge to raise vital funds for Marie Curie – a charity that has a deeply personal connection for the team.
Brothers Phil and Michael Pallister, alongside Jason Oakes and fellow director Liam Hall, will tackle the Weardale Way Challenge, walking from Killhope in County Durham to Durham Cathedral in just two days.
The challenge will be particularly poignant for Phil, Michael and Jason, who are walking in loving memory of their fathers, Chris and Brian, who both sadly lost their lives to cancer.
The team will set off from Killhope on Thursday 29 October, with colleagues joining them on the second day for the final stretch into Durham City, where they will complete their challenge at Durham Cathedral.
For Phil Pallister, CEO, and Michael Pallister, Operations Director at 0800 Repair, the challenge is a tribute to their father Chris, who sadly passed away from lung cancer in October 2024. Chris was diagnosed at 67 and died aged 70.
Jason Oakes, Partnership Director, will also be walking in memory of his father Brian, who died aged 72 last year after being diagnosed with skin cancer in 2024.
Jason said: “We wanted to organise a charity walk in loving memory of our fathers, but also to raise vital funds for Marie Curie. Both of our fathers were similar ages and both passed with cancer. We are a small executive team but the impact it has had on us personally and our business is huge.
“In addition, our other directors, Erik Coates and Kevin Nicol, have also had similar experiences and lost their dads to cancer in recent years too, so it is more common than people know.
“We hope that our walk will help to raise awareness but also the great work that Marie Curie does to support people living with terminal illnesses and their families.
“It will be extra poignant for me because when we set off, it will be around the first year anniversary when I lost my dad.”
For brothers Phil and Michael, the challenge will provide an opportunity to honour their father while helping raise money for a cause that has touched their family so personally.
They said: “The walk will be a lovely way to remember both of our dads whilst raising some funds for a very worthwhile charity along the way. We’re looking forward to the challenge and would appreciate any support along the way.”
Marie Curie is the UK’s leading end-of-life charity, supporting people living with terminal illnesses and their loved ones. The charity provides free expert nursing and hospice care, practical and emotional support, and a free support line, while also campaigning for improved care systems and funding palliative care research.
The team is hoping their 56-mile challenge will not only raise vital funds but also shine a light on the invaluable support Marie Curie provides to families at some of the most difficult times in their lives.
To make a donation and support the team’s fundraising challenge, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/phs-charity-walk