More than £10k raised to help terminally ill man marry partner

Alex Foster, 58, went to hospital with a pain in his side and was subsequently diagnosed with a rare form of type 4 bile duct cancer.

Despite having no symptoms until that point, the cancer has spread to his liver, lungs and lymph nodes and he has been told he has just 12 to 18 months to live.

Jane Kirkby desperately wants to marry Alex but before she can she needs to divorce her husband who is Croatian and lives out of the country. But she said she hasn’t heard from him for more than 25 years and the divorce is a costly process.

Alex and Jane had used all of their savings to buy the Plough Inn at Wreay, before they had to close it during the pandemic.

They subsequently took on a café at Crofton Hall using money inherited from Alex’s mother.

The auction has been organised by Alex’s childhood friend Richard Whittaker, who has also set up a GoFundMe page for Alex and Jane which has raised more than £10,000.

Richard (centre) with Alex's brother at a charity darts night (Image: Supplied)“We've been friends all our lives,” said Richard.

“A few years after they move to Carlisle, they realized their dream and got The Plough Inn in Wreay and then Covid hit, and they ended up losing the pub.

“Then Alex's mum, who I've known all my life, and I was very close to, sadly passed away so with the inheritance money they got they developed an empty unit at Crofton Hall into a cafe, which has been going okay but they've used all their spare capital in these two businesses.

“Before he was diagnosed, Alex was put in a 60, 70-hour week into the café as it's a family business but he just can't spend any time there now.”

Richard began the GoFundMe page shortly after Alex’s diagnosis and has been ‘blown away’ by the response.

“You see the best side of humanity,” said Richard. “It is obviously very emotional, but most of the emotions are all around kindness.

"We’ve heard from school friends we've not seen for 35, 40 years so it's not just about the money, it's about the love that Alex has received.”

The auction is to be held on Friday, March 15 and Nathan Copland from Laidlaw Auctioneers and Valuers will be the auctioneer.

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Items have been donated from across the region by individuals and local businesses and include boxing shorts worn in the ring against Sugar Ray Leonard, a main course meal for two at the Old Crown Hesket Newmarket, and a £50 food voucher at the Oddfellows Arms in Caldbeck.

Any items can be brought for sale on the day, no matter how small, and the auction begins at 7pm.