87-year-old Kilkeel man who raised £750k for charities crowned UTV's Pride of Britain winner 2024
An 87-year-old who raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity in Kilkeel after being hit by personal tragedy has been crowned Northern Ireland's Pride of Britain Winner 2024.
The Daily Mirror's Pride of Britain Awards celebrate the achievements of truly remarkable people who make our world a better place.
Stanley Tomkins, a Cork man who moved to Kilkeel in the 1970s to work as a bank manager, raised a whopping £750,000 for charities including Cancer Focus and Save the Children.
The ever-selfless Stanley was motivated to spring to fundraising action after suffering unimaginable personal loss - Stanley's wife and one of his daughters died from cancer.
Reacting to the big reveal, Stanley said he was "astonished" to have won, and joked with UTV's Paul Reilly "where's the cheque?!" when he surprised him with the coveted trophy as family and friends looked on.
Stanley's desire to work to improve his adopted home of Kilkeel is evidenced by his fundraising for 'the Jim’s Youth Centre'.
The money has gone towards extending and improving the centre and developing a mental health hub.
Our new NI Pride of Britain champ turned 87 in August, but just when many people would be trying to take it easy, he is still going strong organising street collections and other fundraising efforts.
Stanley will now get to attend the glittering Pride of Britain Awards dinner at Grosvenor House in London when overall winners are announced, with this year marking the 25th anniversary of the awards.
As ever, the competition for this years' NI Pride of Britain title was fierce.
‘Dance For Lucy’ in Castleblayney’s Glencarr Hotel was such a success, that he will be able to build two schools and seven in Madagascar, and donate thousands to local causes including the Children’s Heart Foundation and the Alzheimer’s Society.
250 sponsored dancers and a dozen high profile country musicians were joined by as many as two thousand keen dancers who jived and line danced well over the target time of ten hours.
Marian has been running an iconic annual horse racing day for almost three decades to raise money for the charity which was a lifeline for her when she learned that her second born had complicated additional needs.
Marian, now 70, had her daughter Laura almost 40 years ago.
Laura was described by Marian as a gift to her family who made life special, but she was faced with big challenges to overcome due to Laura’s poor health and prejudice facing people with disabilities in NI at the time.
Laura passed away in 2022 aged 37, and her death has only intensified Marian’s desire to fundraise for MENCAP and help level the playing field for people with disabilities, whom she says are treated like “the bottom rung” of society.
Marian is currently battling cancer, and says that illness has helped her put things into perspective.
Aged just 31 when he was diagnosed, Paddy from Dromore could not go to work or drive, so his wife Lauren said he did "what he always does" and hopped on his bike, on a fiercely determined and stoic manner!
He cycled 3,000km around the Island of Ireland and climbing the three highest peaks, all while being treated for his grade three Glioma.
He raised £31,000 pounds for the Friends of the Cancer Centre who supported his family on his journey. He is ever-grateful to them.
Clearly, all of this years' nominees have committed themselves selflessly to making NI a better place!
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