A LOVING daughter has thanked townsfolk after running a half-marathon in memory of her hugely popular pub landlord dad, raising thousands of pounds for the hospital unit that cared for him.
Rick Hanlon, landlord of the Park Inn from 2008 to 2020, passed away peacefully in hospital in January, surrounded by his loving family, at the age of 69.
His daughter Rachel ran the Leeds Half Marathon to raise funds for the North Tees Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which looked after him.
Rachel has thanked kind-hearted folk for raising more than £2,600 and reminded people they can still make a donation to the good cause through a fundraising page.
She said: “I would like to thank everyone who has donated.
“It is such an amazing amount raised, and we are all completely blown away. We’ll be going to visit North Tees this month and see where and how the money can be best placed.”
Rachel added: “The family room in the ward is a place where we spent a lot of time and had many difficult conversations, so we’d love to help make it a more comfortable place for other families going through similar times is something I’d love to achieve.”
Anyone wishing to make a donation should please visit the justgiving.com page ‘Rachel’s fundraiser for North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund’.
Hundreds upon hundreds of mourners gathered at the Stranton Crematorium funeral service for the much-loved Rick, who transformed The Park Inn into what is widely agreed as the best pub in town during his time.
