As some of you may be aware, I lost my son Frazer in 2015 in a fire when a bike he was working on inside exploded. This year would mark 4 years since he died and on Sunday 28th July he would have reached the young age of 24.

This year I wanted to do something different to remember both his birthday and also the day that he died, so decided to try and raise some money for the Fire and Rescue services of both Lancashire & Cumbria. On the 22nd December 2019 the Ashton Memorial in Lancaster will be lit up in his memory and so I wanted enough time to get to my target and thought starting my fundraising on his birthday would be appropriate.

For those of you who didn't know Frazer I have shared a little of his story:

Frazer sustained fatal injuries when a motorbike he was repairing inside Flat 2 of the Old Fire Station, on Aynam Road, burst into flames.

Frazer was a "loving" person with "a lust for life", he had a great sense of humour. If you were down then Frazer would pick you up.

"He was very selfless and would do anything to help anybody.”

Frazer was an "Adrenaline junkie", who loved climbing, kayaking, kite surfing and cycling, reserved his main passion for motorbikes, owning a Suzuki GSXR 600 Limited SRad, and was on the administrative team at GB Bikers, an online motorcycle forum.

He was so popular within the biking community that a procession of around 50 bikes lead the way to his funeral.

Frazer dreamed of joining the Army and was involved in the Army Cadet Force in Lancaster from the age of 12 attending training sessions twice a week and various camps throughout the year – it was "his life" for four years.

After leaving school Frazer completed an Electrical and Electronic Engineering course at Preston College while waiting to apply for the Army.

After a year he then joined the military’s Royal Engineers and got half way through training before unfortunately being discharged on medical grounds.

Frazer then secured a role as an apprentice Agricultural Engineer at JG Paxton and Sons Ltd, which has a base in Bentham.

However, he stopped working there after breaking his back when he had an accident during a display run by a youth and sport club in Lancaster.

Frazer had a bad motorcycle accident in October 2014 last year, during which he broke his arm in five places, but his recovery was going well.

Another man, Reece Harrison, was present in the flat when the fire broke out on Tuesday, December 22nd 2015.

I hope that you will join me in remembering him on the 22nd December at the Memorial if you are able.