MtM-7.5 -Wes Hamnett- transcript

Intro

Hello and a warm Mancunian welcome to you today. I'm Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe, your host, and it's an honour to share Season 7 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast: scial impact stories from Manchester with you. This season is all about celebrating the stories of our local changemakers and the profound social impact that they are creating.

Every Tuesday, I shine a spotlight on the incredible individuals weaving the fabric of our community. From grassroots heroes to local legends, their stories are the soul of Manchester.

Whether you're tuning in on Apple, Spotify, Google or www.meetthemancunian.co.uk, get ready for a season that showcases the incredible social impact within our community.

Welcome to the fifth episode of Season 7 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast, social impact stories from Manchester.

Passionate about supporting the community? We hear from Wes Hamnett, fundraiser for Wythenshawe Hospital, the Christie Charity, Macmillan Cancer Support and British Heart Foundation.

Introduction and Guest Background

[00:01:13] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: I'm delighted to introduce my guest, Wes Hamnett, fundraiser for Wythenshawe Hospital, the Christie Charity, Macmillan Cancer Support and British Heart Foundation in this episode. Thank you so much, Wes, for taking the time today.

[00:01:28] Wes Hamnett: Thank you for having me.

[00:01:29] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: And great to know we're both fellow Wythenshawe residents.

[00:01:32] Wes Hamnett: It is good, good place we've been, sure.

[00:01:34] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Absolutely.

Discovering the Passion for Fundraising

[00:01:36] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Tell us first about how you found your passion for fundraising. Where did that come from?

[00:01:40] Wes Hamnett: I think, more recently, my passion for fundraising came from the passion of my grandparents. I wanted to raise funds for certain charities that helped them during their life.

My fundraising goes back years and years to when I was younger. When I used to do many bungee jumps at the local pubs. Just to raise some money and have a bit of an adrenaline rush. But, after that, then people who started getting cancer and having heart attacks. And then the passion come from there.

 The first time was for my best friend's mother who passed away, she had cancer so that was mainly based around the Christie charity. It's led from that and then to my own grandparents losing their lives to cancer, so these charities are pretty close.

[00:02:21] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: That is really interesting. Taking your passion for cycling and your passion for fundraising and bringing it together.

The Epic Cycling Fundraising Journey across Europe

[00:02:26] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Tell us about your most recent fundraising attempt, which took you to quite a few countries. You said it was to raise funds for medical charities that helped your grandparents. Tell us a little bit about the fundraising attempt, and what was the challenge?

[00:02:41] Wes Hamnett:, The most recent challenge was to cycle, pretty much as far as a Facebook post sent me. Depending on how many shares it got, I had to cycle far as it told me to and through a certain number of countries. The minimum was 280 miles in 5 countries and the maximum was 1, 000 miles in 10 countries, all depending on the shares., That was the most recent challenge.

I flew out to Budapest in Hungary and got a train to South -West Hungary, near the Croatian border. Went through Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg, back into England, over on the ferry. In total, it was 11 countries. 1,174 mile over 16 days. I had a day off as well. I needed a day off after day 10 because it was quite hard. It was quite a big challenge that one. The biggest one I've actually ever done, to be fair.

[00:03:35] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: And was it difficult to actually organise it because you didn't know where you're going to go? How did you plan your routes?

[00:03:41] Wes Hamnett: I always said I wanted to do a bigger ride. I aimed to cycle to Russia before Covid, from Manchester, that's 1,250 miles, and I planned it out and everything like that and booked flights and everything I needed to do and then Covid hit, so I wasn't able to do it.

But then after Covid, when things were a bit more relaxed. That's where the idea came from, is do a long ride, as many countries as possible. It's one of the biggest challenges I've ever done, and anyways. hard as well.

[00:04:07] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: I can imagine.

Challenges and Lessons Learned in Fundraising

[00:04:09] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: What are the challenges that you faced on this journey of fundraising from bungee jumping in the local pub to riding to Glasgow to more recently?

[00:04:20] Wes Hamnett: This more recent one, I mean I planned that within it's probably been ten days before where I started planning it properly. So, I started off, I always knew I wanted to do the longer ride. I put a post out on Facebook and it was aimed at these four charities that I've been fundraising for more recently.

But the planning itself was really hard. Everything went backwards on this one. I seemed to do within the 10 days for planning this last ride I've just done; everything went wrong from bookings to ferries to the bike itself. The new bike I purchased, it's just as many things as you could imagine went wrong.

It was a failure at the beginning. It actually put me down quite a bit. It was pretty hard at the beginning. The first few days, I think going through Hungary and stuff, the weather and all the rest of it, it was very challenging, I think surrounding the planning and everything else.

Like the bungee jumps we used to do, that was pretty easy. It's the local pub to organise it. You just go and basically do it, you just raise the funds and go and do it and enjoy yourself. It's a bit of an adrenaline rush, really. These recent events that I've done. They do take a fair bit of planning. It is hard.

[00:05:25] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: I ask this question so that people can learn from it, so if there's any lessons you learned.

[00:05:31] Wes Hamnett: Okay, I got a massive lesson that I learnt this time around planning this European trip was the fact that I need good time. You need to organise it in advance, don't do what I did and do it all last minute, because it was a strain.

I wasn't sleeping and stuff like that and there's a lot of pressure before the actual bike ride as well and before the event which probably could've been cancelled.

Could have set me up for failure. Luckily, I didn't fail. Luckily, I carried on and pushed on. But I think the organising you need to do it in good time. Make sure you've got plenty of time to organise, have a schedule, contact the organisers from the charities, 'because there's four different charities.

There's plenty of people to speak to and get advice as well. Lots of help available. If you ever need it from the actual charities. All four charities were great. They advised me, they gave me anything I needed. And they usually have people that help you out. Advisors, coordinators, etc. Whatever you may call them, but they did a brilliant job in keeping me sane.

But give yourself time, always give yourself time, I'd say. Plan in advance. Don't do it last minute. Because it's definitely a lesson learned for me this time round, I think, because I did push myself quite a bit.

The Impact of Fundraising and Future Plans

[00:06:37] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: What's the impact you would say you've made so far? And you can talk about your current fundraising attempt, or you can talk about the past fundraising attempts that bring them all together.

[00:06:46] Wes Hamnett: The impact I'd like to hope I've made is helping people, helping these charities raising funds that are needed. Because some of these like the Christie Hospital for example, they help a lot of people that are going through really hard times.

It's a tough time for them. They need all the money they can get, the cancer research. God knows why it isn't cured by now anyway, but to fund that research and try and get any help at all from me, in my grandparents memories as well. Just do what I can to help out.

I rode a bike, a little tiny pink bike from Glasgow to Manchester, it was 230 miles, it was tiny, 12-inch wheels and that raised 10,000. That was probably the biggest one, but it's split between four charities, so it's 2,500 each to each charity which, I'll say the charities again, that's Wythenshawe Hospital, The Christie Charity, Macmillan Cancer Care, and British Heart Foundation.

It's not the biggest amount, but it definitely helps. That's what I want to try and help in any way I can. You look at all these charities have different put these funds to. I'm not totally sure on everything the money goes towards, but as long as it's helping cancer care, towards anyone with heart problems and anything to do with what my parents suffered through their lives towards the end of their lives then I'm happy. That is the aim.

[00:08:08] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thank you for sharing that. Absolutely, it's a huge impact because all these fundraising attempts take a lot of your time and obviously, getting a lot of support and awareness and maybe those people are also then inspired to do more. That is really great.

How can people reach out to you and learn more?

[00:08:23] Wes Hamnett: Anyone can look at and probably, bring up all my previous events as well. Facebook is probably one of the main ones I use on social media. That's under my name, Wes Hamnett.

It makes me laugh so every now and again I do have a Google because it comes up various articles, that the newspapers did and stuff, just to remind myself of why I do things and have a laugh at myself I suppose sometimes. This more recent one, it was a bit more saying it was on a proper bike across Europe.

If you were to Google my name or go and follow me on Facebook or even Instagram. I mean, I'm not a massive user of Instagram to be honest, I use more Facebook, but I mean I suppose Instagram's good for promoting things and stuff, I need to get a bit more into that as I go along because I've got a good charity event that I want to do coming up next year, which is something different again. I'm not going to say too much.

[00:09:11] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: That's great and thank you for sharing. I'll put your Facebook and Instagram into the show notes.

Advice for Aspiring Fundraisers

[00:09:18] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: What advice would you have for people looking to start a similar movement in their local community? Somebody else wants to ride a bike or fundraise for a charity they're passionate about?

[00:09:30] Wes Hamnett: One thing I'd always advise people to do is get out and do. bike riding for me, I love it because I can throw a bit of music in one ear while listening to traffic in the other, so it's always safe. And I'm not an angry person or anything like that, but it's great to get out of the house and calm you down, and it's great for your mental health.

Get out, ride your bike. Doesn't have to be far, but you can get quite far on a bike. My partner prefers running. To be honest, I absolutely hate it. I can't stand running. But with a bike, you seem to get further. Anyone wanting to get out and cycle, my advice is just do what you can. Don't push yourself too far, do it bit by bit.

You don't have to do what I've done and go mega miles, straight away. Just take it easy, and if you want to raise some funds while you're doing it, set yourself a bit of a target and then contact a charity, one that you're passionate about.

Speak to them and they'll give you some advice and some help and tips. Raise a bit of money for something you're passionate for. The feeling at the end of it once you've done it, it's amazing, especially with this one with me. It was a personal achievement. 1,174 miles, I still look at it each day, I've only been back for a week I look at it each day and I still think, wow, it's 11 countries, miles, 16 days and I'm thinking how the hell did I do that?

If you're going to set yourself a target. It's good to get out and cycle. I'd always advise people to do that.

[00:10:48] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thanks for sharing that, Wes, and that is really great advice. People talk about cycling, walking, in my case it's walking, or, just being out there with nature or running or whatever. It really good for your mental health, good for your health as well.

[00:11:07] Wes Hamnett: It's brilliant just to get out. I go out and do a bit of walking as well, and just to get out and walk and it helps a lot. It's good.

[00:11:15] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Absolutely. An opportunity now for you to talk about anything I haven't asked you about, maybe something coming up over the next three to six months, if you want to give a hint.

[00:11:24] Wes Hamnett: Over the next year there's something I've wanted to do. I mean, I've got a bit of a bucket list, I have a bit of a bucket list where I think I want to do this, I want to do that. Now I've just ticked a major one off the European bike ride, that was over a thousand miles.

But next on the bucket list I've found this bicycle on water. So, I want to do something with that. Possibly a longer bike ride, or possibly something to do with the sea, because I've got a few ideas, so, that's as far as I'll go with it. it's going to be a scary one for me, because I have a fear of the sea, if I do go that way, and that's if I'm allowed to do it safely as well, because it's always got to be safe. You've always got to make sure it's safe, but, that's a tiny little hint of what's to come.

I'm hoping to do that, and get some good sponsorship from a local company maybe if I can, this time round. Something which I've never done before. I've usually funded everything myself because I won't take any money out. The fundraising, anything I raise for the charities, that goes to the charities. I won't take a penny out of it. So I'm hoping to get a bit of sponsorship from a local company maybe, with the next one, because it's going to be a heavier cost.

[00:12:26] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Very interesting, and I love the idea of a bike that rides over water, sounds interesting.

Signature questions

And now I come to the signature questions I ask all my guests. Describe the Mancunian spirit in a word or a phrase.

[00:12:39] Wes Hamnett: There's some good people in Manchester anyway. Some of the best.

[00:12:43] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Absolutely Mancunians can be very nice people.

Can you share a Mancunian who inspires you and tell us why?

[00:12:50] Wes Hamnett: A Mancunian that inspires me?

Would have to be each one of my grandparents. I don't even need to say why they inspire me because they just do over the years. Grandparents and going through what they went through, the wars and stuff like that. And going, In the army and all the rest of it as a young age paratroopers the rest of they are truly me inspiration I suppose.

[00:13:12] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Thank you for sharing that. A shout out to your grandparents. Do you want to name them?

[00:13:17] Wes Hamnett: Me gram that was Fred me grandma Faye were lost first when I was 10 years old. That was Harold me Nana. It's back to them years ago. It's just, inspiration, definitely. And the memories I have with them just never leave me, some of them.

[00:13:33] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Grandparents are very special, so shout out to you, to all four of them.

What's the most important life lesson you've learned so far?

[00:13:41] Wes Hamnett: The most important life lesson, I'd say, is that money isn't everything. A lot of people revolve their lives around money and having all these things, and that shouldn't mean nothing, really. it's having your family about. I mean your family, your grandparents, all the rest of it that's what means most to me, I think. all the other material things don't really matter, so I think that's a life lesson, definitely.

[00:14:03] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: I think COVID especially taught us to value things that really matter, not the materialistic things that we thought matter.

[00:14:11] Wes Hamnett: 100%.

[00:14:11] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

[00:14:15] Wes Hamnett: One superpower. To fly? I'd love to fly. It'd be great. Fly like a bird. But yeah, if I had one superpower, yeah, 100 percent Superman.

[00:14:24] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: Yes, I think to fly is like the most popular in guests. And the second most popular is teleportation.

[00:14:31] Wes Hamnett: Didn't even really need to think about that much as well. That was pretty quick, considering I've been on earlies today as well. My brain's working, but yeah, fly is something I'd love to do. It's probably all the skydiving I've done over the years.

[00:14:42] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: I can well imagine.

Is there a funny story you'd like to share with listeners to end the podcast?

[00:14:48] Wes Hamnett: Do you know what? It wasn’t really on my more recent one, but one that stuck with me, was when I was doing a little pink bike ride. And that was from Glasgow to Manchester. On these journeys that I do take, these charity journeys, even the more recent one, the people I meet some brilliant people, some amazing people. Go to Scotland for the first time, because I'd never been to Scotland.

So, I went to Glasgow and rode home and I'm on this little pink bike. So everyone thinks you're crazy anyway. and some of the people that I met and took me in they actually took me into their homes, cleaned my clothes, made sure I was fed, watered, even took me to to fix my wheels on my bike and stuff like that. And that was more even heading towards home. The people were great. Absolutely brilliant.

 One memory I do have. I was coming out of Lockerbie on this little pink bike, tiny little pink bike, and if you've ever seen anyone probably a little bit older, I'd just say, hello to them and try and be nice, because I don't want to be cycling up to someone scaring them thinking that I'm crazy or anything. I'd say hello.

[00:15:42] Wes Hamnett: I was coming out of Lockerbie and there was a little old lady stood at the bus stop, she must have been about 80, and as I rode past her, I went, ah, good morning, and she pointed at me. She went oh, I've seen you on Facebook, and I was like, that's oh no way, have you got Facebook, she was about 80 years old, so I stopped and had a good chat to her.

It's one of them things where you think age is Just a number, don't really judge as far as, but yeah, she had Facebook and everything, she'd seen me on Facebook, I thought it was great, but she was a lovely little lady as well, but that was more based probably in Lockerbie.

When I was coming into Manchester on that little pink bike, the people were brilliant, as I got to Manchester, Chorlton, and I was heading towards home in Wythenshawe, and people were just pulling over handing me cash. Because I couldn't do it to start with, because of obviously COVID and stuff like that, we shouldn't have been doing it. And people were trying to give me money all the way from Scotland.

And I was like, sorry, I can't touch it, it's cash. We've got to be safe. Everyone was handing me money and I got home. I think there was about 300 in my bag. And that all went to the charities, so it's great. The people of Manchester are absolutely brilliant. Egging you on, bibbing you along and cheering you on and stuff like that. As soon as we got back to Manchester, my hometown, it's like brilliant, excellent people.

[00:16:48] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: It's lovely. I think both stories are very nice. The lady who stopped you, the old lady who cheered you on at Lockerbie, as well as the wonderful people of Manchester as well. Because, they're great people everywhere.

[00:17:01] Wes Hamnett: That's it. And sometimes we, you come to Wytheshawe, sometimes it gets a bit of a bad name, and it isn't, this is one of the best communities. I've grown up here and we've got some of the best people in Manchester. We have. This community is the best.

If you are ever in trouble, or you're struggling, or you need help, Wythenshawe is the place to be, I'm telling you. Because everyone helps everyone. There's a lot of people with big hearts around here.

[00:17:22] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: I can definitely see that from following the Facebook group and from the neighbours on my street. So absolutely, lovely place and I'm glad we live here. Thank you so much, Wes. This has been really nice.

[00:17:33] Wes Hamnett: It's been good speaking to you, and I wish you all the best in the future with your podcast as well because it's up and coming and I just like it. I seen when you contacted me, I've seen the logos and stuff like that. I like it. It's good. It's interesting.

It's probably going to get me into podcasts, more podcasts I suppose. It's not something that I've ever really done. So just gives me that little push. Because I've got an iPod and I'll download a few podcasts and listen in, and it'd be good. Good to listen to you going forward.

[00:17:59] Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe: That'll be lovely. Thank you so much.

Outro

Wes, I really enjoyed learning about supporting the community today.

Next week on Tuesday, 20th February 2024, I speak to John Shields about supporting young people.

Dear listener, I hope you were inspired by today's episode, and it sparks your passion to make change happen wherever you live and work.

I would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our community for your support and feedback. Your stories inspire this podcast.

Share your thoughts at www.meetthemancunian.co.uk because this podcast is your platform too. Connect on socials @MeettheMancunian on Instagram and Facebook @MeettheMancunianpodcast on YouTube, and @MancunianPod on X.

This is more than a podcast. It's a community. Spread the love, share, comment, and let's keep building Manchester up. To the podcast's amazing listeners and supporters, you are the true heroes.

Keep thriving, keep connecting, and remember the power of change lies within us.

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