00:00My name's John Burkill, better known as the firm man of Sheffield, and I have at the moment raised 1.1 million for Macmillan.
00:16He's Mr Sheffield, he's brilliant at fundraising, walks streets every day, we're proud of him.
00:22He's so selfless, he gives his time to everybody, and he walks for miles, and I don't know how he does it, I really don't know how he does it.
00:34He's up there, his wife and his daughter are smiling on him, and one day hopefully he'll see them again.
00:41He's just, he's a man with the pram, he's everything to Sheffield, because everybody in Sheffield knows him, whether it's kids, adults, young, old, you know, he's just a legend.
00:511967, I'd be his first Sheffield Starwalk, no training, just went out and did it, I think I paid a bob.
00:58I think it was a shilling to enter then, and it was won by a bloke called John Wardhurst.
01:04I think I finished about an hour behind him. I couldn't walk actually, to be honest with you, but since then I've been in all Sheffield Starwalks,
01:14that finished in 2000, and then when it did finish, in 2000, the last one, I went out on that course and did it 74 times, 900 miles,
01:27because I loved it that much, Starwalk, great race, great people, wonderful people, Star.
01:33He means everything to Sheffield, yeah, he's a star.
01:37An absolute legend, if you're from Sheffield, everybody knows who John is, he's raised so much money, it's, yeah, he's a proper Sheffield legend, deserves a knighthood.
01:46She raised 250,000 quid, and people said it would be impossible to do it.
01:52But prior to being with Mike Mellon, I'd done a lot of fundraising for various charities.
01:59Also, I'd done a lot of long distance walks for schools, handicapped schools and kids and all that.
02:06And I thought, well, come on in here, with Joan Diana, I'm going to get some of it in.
02:12And Mike Tomlinson's races came in then in 2007, and Jane Tomlinson were lovely people.
02:21So, the first one I did, I walked to Leeds to 2007 Jane Tomlinson's race.
02:29And that's how really the fundraising started, more than anything, you know what I mean?
02:34And I thought, well, we'll earn as much as we can, get permission to push me pram in.
02:39You have to ask permission from race directors and everything like you, you have to do that.
02:43And you have to start last, for obvious reasons, safety issues and everything, you know what I mean?
02:48Getting in front of somebody and he falls, you know what I mean?
02:52So, I have to start last, which it doesn't matter to me.
02:55I don't always finish last, but most of the time, it doesn't really matter when you finish.
03:00If you finish, you're a winner.
03:02So, it worked, it worked all right.
03:05And I set out to raise 250,000 quid.
03:09I did it.
03:10And people said it was impossible, just in bucket.
03:13Because it never comes out of pram.
03:16The bucket never comes out of pram, it stays in there.
03:19I never ask anybody for any money.
03:21If they want to donate, they will donate.
03:23They can't afford to donate, or they won't.
03:25They put one penny in that penny.
03:27It's one penny we had the day before.
03:29So, it works.
03:30And it worked.
03:31And it worked at 250,000.
03:33And then we're on top of that.
03:34I thought, let's, let's go a bit higher.
03:37So, I went, 500.
03:40Well, we can do it.
03:41500,000 pounds.
03:42Seemed impossible.
03:44I kept going, we kept getting it.
03:46And to reach a million quid.
03:48Absolutely.
03:49Out of this world.
03:51I can't believe it.
03:53When Anna, our fundraising manager at time, and Rob, and Matt Goodwin, AKBer.
04:03And I was just ready for going out.
04:06I said, what you're doing here?
04:07And he just, just appeared.
04:09He said, you broke the 50.
04:11You broke the 50.
04:12I cried.
04:13I won't.
04:14I said it.
04:15I can't believe it.
04:16This is the moment John found out he'd reached his target.
04:18And raised a million pounds for Macmillan.
04:20Do you want to read it out as well?
04:24Yeah.
04:25This is John.
04:27You've done it.
04:28You've hit the million.
04:31I can't believe that.
04:33You've done it.
04:34You've hit the million.
04:36We are so proud of you.
04:37You've tried to be a little.
04:39We love you millions.
04:42Thank you so much.
04:44And I can't believe you, Brittany.
04:45How do you feel?
04:46I feel so unboldened.
04:47You've got a bed late.
04:48Nah.
04:49Got to keep going now.
04:50Let's get a million.
04:51We've got a million.
04:52There's another million out there.
04:53I'm going to keep going anyway.
04:54No matter what.
04:55We can't at Macmillan express how we can't.
04:57We can't at Macmillan express how we can't.
04:59We can't.
05:00We can't.
05:01We can't.
05:02We can't.
05:03We can't.
05:04We can't.
05:05We can't.
05:06We can't.
05:07We can't at Macmillan express how grateful we are to.
05:10To John.
05:11For everything he's done over the years for us.
05:13Every step he takes in Sheffield.
05:16Every penny that's put into that bucket.
05:18All makes an absolute huge difference to Macmillan.
05:22And the lives of people affected by cancer.
05:25We're here for people.
05:26Whoever.
05:27Wherever they live and whoever they are.
05:29And without people like John fundraising for us.
05:31We wouldn't be here to help those people.
05:34The money that John's raised could fund Macmillan Nurse for over 17 years.
05:39So the amount of families that that nurse could help over those years is absolutely amazing.
05:46And they're there to give financial medical and practical support to people when they really do need our help.
05:54John's one in a million.
05:56He really is.
05:57There's not many people absolutely go out to do what John's done.
06:01And to have such a target but then to deliver on that target is absolutely incredible.
06:07Within Sheffield he is an absolute honour to work with.
06:11And I know people really look up to him.
06:13Respect him.
06:14People from younger ages through to the older ages as well.
06:18Absolutely everybody in Sheffield respects John and what he does for us.
06:22John not only is the pride of Sheffield.
06:25He is also the pride of Britain.
06:27He really is one in a kind.
06:30And not all superheroes wear capes.
06:33Some wear a wig as well.
06:35It doesn't matter what weather he is.
06:36He's out here collecting every single day.
06:39Rain, snow, sleep, whatever it is.
06:42He's out here collecting.
06:43He's an absolute inspiration.
06:44He really is.
06:45I don't know how he does it.
06:50Walking all these miles.
06:52And standing in the cold like this and meeting people.
06:55You know it's amazing.
06:56And at his age, 86.
06:58It's incredible how he can keep going.
07:01Well I weren't interested in watching the last one to be quite honest with him.
07:06Because we all spoke with me.
07:10But we were outside a cinema.
07:13You know Ronnie Quinn, another great mate of mine.
07:15My best pal.
07:16But he's passed away and that obviously.
07:19And we were outside.
07:21These two lasses were across the road.
07:25Outside cinema.
07:26And old Ronnie says to me, hey there.
07:29Bitter all right John.
07:30I said no.
07:31I was out here.
07:32They had a badly like.
07:33He said.
07:34So.
07:35I said alright mate.
07:36We'll go across.
07:37And I just talked to him.
07:38Anyway.
07:39I think something clicked straight away with me.
07:42You know what I mean.
07:43And that's how I met her like.
07:45You know what I mean.
07:46And we.
07:47It was that time of year.
07:51We lasses.
07:52I mean.
07:53Whatever you did.
07:54I was happy.
07:55She was a great dancer.
07:57I weren't.
07:58I got two left feet.
07:59But she was.
08:00She was very very good.
08:01She was a great dancer.
08:02Great dancer.
08:03And that's how I met her.
08:05In 1991.
08:06John's daughter.
08:07Karen.
08:08Passed away.
08:09Due to complications.
08:10After a routine operation.
08:12Tragically.
08:13A short time after.
08:14His wife June.
08:15Was diagnosed with cancer.
08:17Karen went in to have a.
08:18Small operation.
08:19Off her stomach.
08:20I believe.
08:21Some of it were.
08:22Pollock or something.
08:24And.
08:25I recall from work.
08:28A lorry driver.
08:29We express.
08:30There is.
08:31Then.
08:32And.
08:33Our transport manager.
08:34He.
08:35He.
08:36He were brilliant.
08:37He come out and.
08:38Fetched me.
08:39And he said.
08:40You've done a lot for us.
08:41John.
08:42As you can.
08:43And I thought.
08:44Of June.
08:45Because she.
08:46Battled TB.
08:47When she were younger.
08:48And I never thought.
08:49I'd carry him at all.
08:50And.
08:51He says.
08:52We're on the life.
08:53A short machine.
08:54And.
08:55Er.
08:56Something went wrong.
08:57With operation.
08:58And.
08:59She were married then.
09:00Mike.
09:01And.
09:02And June says.
09:03Well.
09:04She's.
09:05Keeping her alive.
09:06She's got a chance.
09:07And.
09:08Doctor said to me.
09:09Well.
09:10You've got a 60-40 chance.
09:11But.
09:12Not in her favour.
09:13He said.
09:14That's.
09:15Machine's.
09:16Keeping her alive.
09:17And.
09:18Her husband's decision.
09:19What to do.
09:20So.
09:21He decided.
09:22To turn the machine off.
09:23Which.
09:24Didn't go down very well.
09:25We might have said at all.
09:26And.
09:27Sadly.
09:28She developed cancer.
09:29From that day.
09:30Would you believe.
09:31I think.
09:32It was shocker that.
09:33And.
09:34She died the following year.
09:35So.
09:36The one that stands out.
09:37More than anything.
09:38Is.
09:39When me.
09:40My late wife.
09:41You were very very poorly.
09:42And.
09:43Um.
09:44Nineteen.
09:45Ninety.
09:46Two.
09:47Yeah.
09:48And.
09:49She was.
09:50I can talk about it now.
09:51But.
09:52She were dying.
09:53And.
09:54She said.
09:55You've won all these trophies.
09:56And medals.
09:57John.
09:58She said.
09:59I've never won a thing in my life.
10:00So.
10:01I rang.
10:02Organised her at Sheffield.
10:03Madison committee.
10:04Then.
10:05Which were Bob Jackson.
10:06And.
10:07She said.
10:08She's a big fella.
10:09Er.
10:10Passed away now.
10:11But he was a great bloke.
10:12And.
10:13He said.
10:14Would it be possible Bob.
10:15If I could push.
10:16My missus round.
10:17And.
10:18She's very very ill.
10:19And he knew her as well.
10:20He said.
10:21I know John.
10:22He said.
10:23But it's not been done before by anybody.
10:24I said.
10:25But I'd love to push her round in a wheelchair.
