In the summer Father Jim hit the dreaded 60th birthday, he felt he needed to prove to himself he was “still alive” and prove it he did by cycling coast to coast from Whitehaven to Sunderland.

Father Jim got on his bike to raise funds for his church roof, but from the outset he made it clear that whatever funds were raised would be shared between the tiles for the roof and ME North East.

(Father O’Keefe is one of several relatives of our own Joanna Hainsworth who have raised funds and the profile of ME North East over the past years, and has already completed two abseils from the Tyne Bridge for us.)

We have received a total of £800 – a magnificent effort, proving the proverb “You’re only as old as you feel”.

THANKS FATHER JIM YOU ARE A STAR