Last week, Ryan Hussey took on a serious challenge: running the 26.2‑mile (around 42km) Leeds Marathon. As he ran, his thoughts were with the person who inspired him to take part; his older brother Luke Hussey, who sadly passed away after a short illness last year.
Luke was an extraordinary person; he was kind, gentle, and hugely passionate about the natural world, with a particular interest in fish and rivers. This led him to a career in river restoration, and also to volunteering with many environmental charities, including our own. It was also something that brought Luke and Ryan together, as they spent many happy days fishing together when they were younger.
Shortly after Luke’s passing, his friends and family came together to collect £1,785 for our charity. This was a very generous and thoughtful gift, so we were bowled over when Ryan told us that he wanted to help us even more, in his brother’s memory. Luke lived near Leeds, and his birthday was close to the marathon date, so it would be a fitting way to celebrate the happiness he brought into the world.
After five months of training, which included completing the City of Lincoln 10k in just over 44 minutes, Ryan was ready to head to Leeds on 10 May. Despite the hilly route, he absolutely smashed it, finishing in 3:39:01 — an impressive time that he credits to the encouragement of his loved ones. They not only cheered him on, but they also helped him to raise a whopping £2,720 for our conservation work.
We’re all very proud of Ryan’s incredible achievement, and we’re so grateful that he chose to support us in this way. Our heartfelt thanks to Ryan, and to everyone who made it possible for him to take on this challenge. Because of you, we can make a greater difference for the habitats and wildlife that Luke loved.
