Miles For Men launches appeal to give Tommy a fitting send off

Miles for Men and Walk for Women helped Tommy Fletcher to marry his sweetheart Jacky Wilkinson and to meet his wrestling idol while battling terminal cancer.

Now after his death at the age of 49 on Saturday, the charity is trying to raise £6,000 to support his family with the funeral costs.

Yesterday Miles for Men launched a fundraising page on the website JustGiving called One Final Wish for Tommy.

Lee Wilmot from the charity said: “We have been in touch with Jacky and wanted to do something.

“We want to give him a good send off. It was Tommy’s wish that two of the Mils for Men team would be his pallbearers.

“He wasn’t a flower person and asked for any donations to go to Miles for Men.

“We have got to do something to help his family and to help pay the costs. We are aiming for £6,000.”

The page was created by charity director and secretary Kelly Pearson.

It has been widely viewed already after being shared by many people on social media.

Lee added: “So far it has gone out to over 50,000 people. It is being shared all over.

“People have already started donating on it.”

As well as helping to organise their wedding last December, the charity also arranged for Tommy, of Ivy Grove, to meet his wrestling hero, WWE star Daniel Bryan, at Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena in May.

Just over a month ago, he managed to get out of his wheelchair to walk the final few metres of the Miles for Men 5k run.

Jacky, who Tommy had been with for 25 years, said: “He was my hero, he was my soulmate and I will miss him.

“He was the love of my life.”

Anyone who wishes to give to the JustGiving fund can do so at www.justgiving.com and searching for One final wish for Tommy.

His funeral will take place on Thursday September 13 at 2pm at Stranton Crematorium, Hartlepool.