Campaign to boost Claire Lomas fundraising effort to £1M

Claire, who lived with her family at Eye Kettleby, raised more than £950,000 towards a cure for paralysis after being paralysed from the chest down following a horse riding accident in 2007.

She sadly died aged 44 in the Middle East in August last year after an accident – hundreds of people packed St Mary’s Church in Melton Mowbray in October for a celebration of her life.

Her friend, and fellow fundraiser, Stuart Hall, is now committed to raising the extra funds to take Claire’s efforts past that £1M milestone with a variety of activities.

The biggest challenge will see Stuart team up with Claire’s widower, Dan, to complete three of the nation’s biggest endurance tests in wheelchairs.

They will take on the Great Manchester Run 10k on May 18, the Great North Run on September 7 and the Great South Run on October 19.

Stuart and Dan have dubbed it the Three Spokes because it is ‘our version of the Three Peaks’.

Stuart, known to his friends as ‘Pid’, said: “When we tragically lost the amazing Claire Lomas in August 2024 she had raised a staggering £952,000 for charity and I vowed to carry this on until we reached a magical £1million to leave a truly remarkable legacy for a truly inspiring person.

"I miss Claire so much and this is just a small way of saying thank you for letting me share her life for so many years. We will never forget her.”

The Three Spokes Challenge is a nod to the amazing fundraising efforts Claire completed in a trail-blazing robotic suit.

She made headlines around the world in 20212 when she walked the 26 miles of the London Marathon course in the suit.

It took her 16 gruelling days, with partner Dan behind her every step of the way.

Claire finished the Great North Run half-marathon course, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in 2016 in five days, and the 10-mile Great South Run in Southampton the year after in 24 hours with no sleep.

Her achievements continue to inspire her loved ones, including daughters Maisie and Chloe, and all of her many friends.

Fundraising cash is already pouring in to the campaign for top £1M thanks to a memorial JustGiving online page set up by Stuart, which has already generated around £11,000.

An online auction also raised just over £1,000 and another is planned this year.

Claire, who also had a thriving career as a motivational speaker, loved organising a Road2Recovery Charity Rideout for motorcyclists and Stuart is organising what would have been her 10th one on Sunday July 6, from Wistow Rural Centre to Eye Kettleby.

Other planned fundraisers are a Fly-in and barbecue on August 16 and 17.

All proceeds will go to the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation, Claire’s adopted charity from the very start.

Go to www.justgiving.com/page/clairelomasmakeitamillion to sponsor Stuart and Dan on their Three Spokes challenge.