Cumbrian athletics champion Nick Miller's special gesture to support brave Oliver Lancaster

Miller is donating the vest he wore when winning his second Commonwealth Games hammer gold medal recently.

The Scotby star has put the vest into a prize draw in a bid to raise as much money as possible to help the family of one-year-old Oliver Lancaster.

Oliver, whose dad Michael is a long-time friend of Miller, was diagnosed with intermediate-risk neuroblastoma in March.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PRIZE DRAW

The athlete has had his vest from the Birmingham Games framed for the prize draw, and also added his signature and the length of his winning throw for Team England - 76.43m.

Proceeds from the month-long Crowdfunder initiative will be shared by three charities that have supported Oliver and his family, who have had to make regular trips to Newcastle RVI for Oliver’s chemotherapy.

Tickets for the prize draw cost £5 with the winner of Miller’s vest in its 66 x 88cm frame to be drawn in late September.

The signed prize which is up for grabs to support brave Oliver Lancaster

The athletics star said he wanted to do something to help Michael and fiancée Amie at a time of acute need.

“Michael’s been a friend of mine since we were young, and when I saw they were trying to raise money, I thought I could use my position and what I’ve done to try and help support them,” Miller told the News & Star.

“As soon as I finished the Commonwealth Games, I told him I wanted to do  this with my vest.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PRIZE DRAW

“He said, ‘Don’t be silly, you keep it’ – and I said, ‘Don’t you be silly, you’re having it’. I just thought it was the right thing to do.

“The little guy’s more precious than a vest, right? I thought it was good to try and give back.

Nick Miller, right, catches up with friend Michael Lancaster and his son Oliver

“Charities like these give people who weren’t born as fortunate the chance to do what they want to do. We have to give back and support them.

“Every penny counts, and every share and everything people can do to raise awareness can help out.”

The charities to benefit are Children’s Cancer North, who help fund the children’s cancer wards at Newcastle RVI, Young Lives vs Cancer and Neuroblastoma UK.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PRIZE DRAW

Miller added: “For every £5 you donate, you get a ticket, and then someone will be pulled out of the hat to win it, and the vest will get delivered to them. So everybody gets a chance to win.

“Castle Framing in Carlisle very kindly got it all framed up for us in 24 hours, so a big thanks to them.

Hammer star Miller won his second Commonwealth Games gold medal in Birmingham recently (photo: PA)

“A couple of local businesses, Castle Chocolates and Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors, are putting it out there as well as British Athletics and England Athletics, to try and spread the word as much as possible.

“It's also the only vest that got an individual [athletics] gold medal for England. Whoever gets it will get something special and unique, especially with it being a home Games.”

Nick and Michael have been close friends since their teenage years, when they first got to know each other through a shared love of motorbikes.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE PRIZE DRAW

Michael said of his friend’s gesture: “I think it’s amazing.

“As Nick said, no-one else has got one of these, and it’s got very sentimental value – so for him to donate it for such a worthy cause is a great thing to do.”

Oliver is said to be responding well to treatment, with his latest round of chemo due early next month, and he is set to undergo surgery in October. “He’s doing really well – taking it like a little trooper,” added proud dad Michael.

Entries for the prize draw are open until September 21, and entrants can enter as many times as they like at £5 a ticket.

To enter, visit the Crowdfunder website HERE

And more information on Team Oliver, the campaign to raise money to support Oliver’s family and the charities, can be found HERE