rivers2cross

Today marks the second anniversary of the first photograph that I took for the new bowel cancer fundraising book when I met John Coghlan, the original drummer from Status Quo. We met near his home in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside, and he was an absolute gent. His first record is fascinating… A few months later I photographed John when he performed with his band at SUB 89 in Reading. 

 

It was a great start to the new book, and the journey over the last couple of years has been amazing and very cathartic for me personally. The forthcoming book is going to be called, The Record, and all proceeds raised from the new book will be donated to Bowel Cancer UK.

 

I’d spent a couple of months before meeting John approaching lots of people to be in the book with a considerable amount of success. I am hoping to finish the photography by the end of the year, or at least have dates early in the new year for any remaining people. After that I will be drawing a line under it, and hoping to publish the book next spring fingers crossed. One or two people will probably slip through the net, but I’ve done everything possible to try and meet everyone who has said yes, and there is still time for me to have one more big push at getting some of the people who have gone a little quiet on me.

 

The book is being done in memory of my mum who died of bowel cancer on August 29th, 2016. She lived with the cancer for over four years, but managed to carry on living a very normal life in spite of having five major operations during that time. I knew very soon after her death that I wanted to do another book, and I am sure that she would approve of the new book and be proud of me, my brother and sister in what we have achieved since her death. The support for the book has been incredible, and along with all my other fundraising ventures has been life changing for me. So many positive things have happened to me coming out of such a devastating loss.