Very generous donation from Bolton Wanderers Football Club Former Players Association, in relation to Incident 23 – 2016, Missing Man at Blackleach Country Park, Walkden, and our casualty can be publically revealed!

On Friday evening, 12th February 2016, we played a central role, alongside a great many others, in the successful finding and then assistance to a missing 86 years old man, from the Farnworth area of Bolton (Please see website ‘News’ report dated the same) when he went missing in Blackleach Country Park, Walkden.

Though we knew the identity of this man at the time, we were not able to publish such, without the permission of him or his family.

The Bolton News edition of Thursday 18th February 2016, carried a front page banner headline “Legend Tommy Thanks Rescue Heroes After Falling.”

The comprehensive newspaper article (and its associated website report) revealed publicly that we and others had been involved in the search and rescue of Bolton Wanderers legend player Tommy Banks.

Describing his rescue, the newspaper article mentioned Tommy, a former Left Full Back, had made 250 appearances for the Whites (Bolton Wanderers) an FA Cup Winner and was a member of England’s 1958 World Cup Squad.

Today Wednesday 24th February 2016, our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE received in the post a kind letter from the joint Secretary and Treasurer of Bolton Wanderers Football Club Former Players Association, stating;

“Dear Mr Rhodes,

Please find a cheque enclosed as a thank you for your teams efforts in the searching for and rescue of Tommy Banks – one of our members.

We are most grateful for your success.”

Enclosed with this very kind letter was a wonderfully thoughtful donation of £150.00.

The whole team membership would like to express its sincere thanks to all at Bolton Wanderers Football Club Former Players Association, for this very kind and sincere donation.

Immediately after the rescue of Tommy, his sons and other family members plus neighbours, who had joined the search, all thanked our Team membership via our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE on scene at Blackleach Country Park.

Soon afterwards Tommy’s wife, Rita, had personally telephoned Garry, again to express her personal thanks and those of her husband Tommy, for all that we had done on the evening of Friday 12th February 2016.