In December 2018, the beloved Action Coach Kent Rhodes passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. Kent was a respected and admired figure in the franchise community, known for his generous and dedicated spirit. His legacy extends far beyond his exceptional work as a franchise partner. To honour Kent’s memory, the ActionCOACH UK team engages in an annual challenge, reflecting Kent’s values, striving to help those less fortunate.
Earlier this month, a group of enthusiastic amateur walkers from ActionCOACH, faced their most challenging endeavour yet – hiking up Yr Wyddfa (Mt Snowdon) to raise funds for Children with Cancer UK. Led by Roger Pemberton, the team has now raised over £8,500, pushing the total raised by ActionCOACH UK to over £93,000 since the challenge began.
“Unfortunately, far too many parents still receive the devastating news that their child has cancer each day. If our efforts can help reduce this number, we will have made Kent proud. He always strived to make a difference for his clients and for his community. The fact that we can continue to be inspired by his legacy, even in a small way through our annual event is the least we can do,” said Ian Christelow, ActionCOACH UK Co-Founder.
For Kent’s mother, Sue Rhodes, who travelled to join the challenge in 2022, “The fact his legacy is being kept alive over five years after his death is a testimony to the values and ethos of the ActionCOACH community. It means a great deal to me that children who are suffering from the awful disease which took Kent are going to benefit from ActionCOACH’s fundraising efforts. I’m so grateful to ActionCOACH, who were such a big part of Kent’s life – it makes me emotional to think about how incredible the support has been since he passed.”
Since 2018, the ActionCOACH community has undertaken numerous challenges in Kent’s name. Action Coaches Andrew Kureishy and Marc Eccles initiated the idea, with Roger Pemberton leading this year’s campaign.
Marc, who was coached and mentored by Kent when he joined ActionCOACH, said, “We want as many kids as possible to ring the bell at the end of their successful treatments. Any support or contributions from the franchise community would be fantastic.”
Roger added, “It’s a great honour to be leading this year’s challenge. Kent’s commitment to making a difference in so many people’s lives continues to inspire us all. It’s incredible to see the amount we’ve raised for such an amazing cause – long may it continue. Any further support or donations we receive are much appreciated.”
To find out more about the fundraising efforts or to donate, please visit here
