Markus hotfoots it for charity at Hallowe'en
01 Nov 2013
While other people were out trick or treating on 31 October, Alumni Officer Markus Karlsson-Jones walked over hot coals to raise funds for St Ann's Hospice.
Markus successfully faced the challenge of putting his feet into burning hot coals at temperatures he could barely imagine and now he's asking for your support to take the pain away!
He was supporting his future brother-in-law, Joel Oxberry, to raise money in memory of his uncle Alan, who received care from the hospice at the end of his life ten years ago. Since that time, St Ann's has supported 30,000 patients and their families in similar situations and they need public support to keep that work going.
After his ordeal by fire, Markus said: "I don't know why I agreed to it, except that it was a spooky thing to do - not least because it involved removing my shoes, always a frightening prospect.
"The hot coals were 500 degrees Celsius and I was extremely nervous beforehand, but the atmosphere at Burnage Rugby Club was fantastic. Family and friends turned out in force to cheer us on and take pictures of us looking ridiculous in 'The Devil Wears Prada' T-shirts and black leggings.
"I really enjoyed the experience - so much so that I walked the coals twice. I had to dip my feet into buckets of cold water after the first walk to prevent burns: that cold water and waiting 20 minutes for my next walk was a challenge in itself."
He and Joel set themselves an initial target of £640, which would have paid for food and drink for Joel's uncle during his stay at the hospice. Thanks to the massive support given so far, they've already raised well over £1,100.
There's still time to help Markus and Joel raise even more money by making a donation, however small, at:
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.