5 days Ago
Saul Marks, 45, and Seth Marks, 13, were inspired to take on the 21 mile trek around the Circle Line as part of Seth's forthcoming Bar Mitzvah. The intrepid pair, who live in Wallasey, decided to raise money for The Dan Kay Foundation, which was established in memory of the much-loved former Liverpool Echo journalist and Hillsborough campaigner, who took his own life aged 45 in May 2023. The Dan Kay Foundation has been set up by Dan's family, friends and newspaper colleagues and aims to tackle stigma around mental health while spreading kindness and creating opportunities for those less fortunate.
Saul and Dan both went to Kingsmead School in Hoylake and later worked together on the committee of Liverpool Old Hebrew Congregation at Princes Road synagogue. "Dan and I were the only two Jewish kids in the school," said Saul. "We met up years later when we both living back in Liverpool and he got involved with the synagogue so we knew we had to raise money for Dan's foundation.
"Like so many, I was heartbroken when he took his own life after years intermittently struggling with mental health problems." Saul and train-enthusiast Seth set off on the route on Friday, April 10 stopping at each of the 36 different stations on the way. "The Barbican was a complete complete maze and we made a few detours on the way," said Saul, who works as a genealogist.
"We started at Hammersmith and finished at Edgware Road and it took us 12 hours and three minutes including a stop for lunch and dinner. "The weather was wonderful all day and it was lovely and sunny but when we were walking the last half mile we said 'never again'! "Seth was incredible - despite being the size of a nine-year-old, he stuck it out to the end and was even helping me as we hobbled towards our train back to the hotel. "The tears at the end of the day were mine, not his.
" To donate to Saul and Seth's fundraiser go here.
