PW_4_2025

Article

The Great North Run A Family Affair By Mike Freeman Over five decades the Fell/Freeman family have

raced different events over the Great North Run (GNR) weekend, including the half marathon, 5k, mini and junior races. It’s been a family tradition for generations, an absolute family favourite filled with so many memories over the years. F or a family GNR first, September 2025 saw the three generations of our family all on the same start line, all running and completing the main GNR half marathon, for Children with Cancer UK, as we continue to raise awareness and funds so that more families can overcome childhood cancer like ours. This was an unconfirmed ‘three generations running a half marathon together world record’. We cannot find any record of this being done previously, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. The team was Mike Freeman (Lincs. I.P.A. member and Retired Lincs. Officer), his daughter Liz Fell (Specialist Prosecutor CPS National Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit, and formerly C.P.S. Barrister at Lincoln Crown Court), her husband Simon Fell, and Mike’s grandsons Isaac (19) and Noah (17). How it started Mike Freeman (Grandpa, Liz’s dad) started the tradition taking part in the 1984 GNR when Liz was seven years old. Years of family weekends for Mike to run and the family supporting on the streets of Newcastle and South Shields meant as soon as Liz met Simon, he immediately couldn’t resist signing up to join the run fun. And it’s no surprise that when they had sons Isaac and Noah they were running the mini and junior events as soon as they could too. Reason to run In 2016, Isaac (then age 9) was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. So when the junior race came around that year, he was gutted that he was too ill to run. But knowing the family history with the event, GNR weren’t going to let him miss out. He had the amazing honour of being one of the official starters for all the junior races, including Noah’s. As his treatment progressed and he had more energy, he was able to run again in the junior races in 2017 and 2018. Then, after finishing treatment in 2019, he was excited to be back on the start line to see what he could do not fuelled by chemo. His progress at junior runs culminated in him finishing 10th in his final junior run in 2022. 2024 saw Noah also finish his junior GNR journey with some top 20 finishes along the way. Since diagnosis, as a family we’ve used our running to raise vital funds for CwCUK to allow for more research to find more cures and kinder treatments for children like Isaac. And now… Mike, having completed over 30 GNRs, now 76 and with two new hips, chose the 2025 GNR to be his final half marathon fling before sticking to the more manageable 5k and 10k runs. Simon, hooked immediately, has now completed over 20 GNRs. It’s his favourite race, and he was not going to miss Mike’s last. Isaac and Noah, now too old for junior events, weren’t going to let this one opportunity of three generations together at GNR slip away so stepped up to the half distance of 13.1 miles this year.

GNR Before photo

GNR After photo

And Liz, having toed the line at many races with her dad over the years, couldn’t miss out on doing the same for this one time at the GNR. We’ve done a three generation 10k but for one time only it was a three generation half marathon GNR! And of course, it had to be for CwCUK. The Fell-Freeman family has raised money for Children with Cancer UK for nearly a decade, since Isaac was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2016 and finished treatment in 2019.

Private Medical Cover Transfer & Save or Start Today

for members of EXCLUSIVE OFFER †

International Police Association 9 2 % S A V E D M O N E Y t r a n s f e r r i n g t o H M C A *

Call today for a no obligation quote on or enquire online at www.hmca.co.uk/ipa 01423 799949

OVER 45 YEARS

PROVIDING SERVICES TO MEMBERSHIP GROUPS

Rated ‘ Excellent ’ by our customers on

This advertisement is produced and presented by HMCA/S PLC (trading as Hospital Medical Care Association, HMCA and HMCA Members) which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN:307587). HMCA/S PLC is a company registered in England, company number: 01362094, registered office: Beech Hall, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, HG5 0EA. *Based on data provided by members who joined HMCA between 1st July 2024 and 31st December 2024. †Exclusive offer available to selected membership groups. s98v8. 355846.

26

POLICE WORLD Vol 70 No.4, 2025

355846 International Police Association.indd 1

20/05/2025 4:08 pm