A couple from Carnforth are dedicating their last ever 10K run to the memory of their son-in-law who died after a fall from Helvellyn.
Linda and Stephen Hartley will take part in the Great Manchester Run this month in tribute to Paul Boustead, and to raise funds for a mountain rescue team who searched for him.
Dad-of-three Paul, 44, died after a fall of around 180 metres from the 950 metre high Lake District peak, the third highest in England, between Christmas and New Year.
The Hartleys have been taking part in half marathons and 10k races for more than 20 years, many with Stephen pushing Linda in her wheelchair after she lost the use of her legs in 2008 due to a spinal condition.
Stephen, 71, has decided that the Great Manchester Run on May 18 will be his final one, hanging up his running shoes after more than 40 half marathons and 10Ks since he and Linda began with the Great North Run in 2003.
Paul, an experienced fell walker and runner, would have taken part in the run through Greater Manchester with them, as he had done in the past.
Linda, 70, is a retired teacher who worked at Morecambe Bay Academy (Morecambe High School) for 40 years.
She said that Patterdale Mountain Rescue were "absolutely fantastic" as they led the search for Paul and his labrador Shelby, after they went missing on December 29 2024.
The Hartleys said: "We cannot ever thank everyone involved for all their efforts, putting their own lives at risk in horrendous weather conditions to search for, rescue and recover Paul and Shelby.
"We will be eternally grateful for everything they did for our family."
You can donate to the Hartleys' JustGiving page HERE.
Paul Boustead and Shelby.
Paul was reported missing by his wife Tracy, Linda and Stephen's daughter, on the evening of Sunday December 29 2024.
He had been climbing Helvellyn and she had been tracking his progress from home, noticing his position hadn't moved for a few hours.
Patterdale Mountain Rescue, and other rescue teams, were called to search routes being communicated by Paul's phone, near the summit.
They searched that evening into the early hours, battling atrocious weather conditions, and found Paul's bike and phone close to the edge of the summit plateau.
Resuming at first light, they found Shelby alive on a ledge late on the Monday morning, and shortly afterwards sadly discovered Paul's body.
"We would like to send our condolences to (his) family and friends and our thanks to the various teams and SAR Helicopter crews who assisted with the search and subsequent recovery," said a Patterdale Mountain Rescue spokesperson.
Paul was a much-loved husband and father, who met Tracy in 2016.
They moved to Wrea Green near Preston, got married in 2019, and had a son, Freddie, now nearly two.
Paul had two other sons, Tommy and Stanley.
He was a successful and highly-regarded Human Resources (HR) consultant who at different times during his career, worked for the University of Cumbria, and Lancaster University.
Paul was Deputy Director of HR & OD (Organisational Development) at St Martin’s College in Lancaster and part of the project team for the creation of the University of Cumbria, for which the team won a UHR OD award.
At Lancaster University, he was Executive Director of People and Organisational Effectiveness.
He was widely praised for his work there during the Covid pandemic.
During his time there Paul sat on many national boards - including as chair of UHR, the key organisation for HR professionals in the Higher Education sector; he was nominated as a Companion of the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) the highest awarded level of the CIPD only granted to a select few; and was voted number 14 in the 2022 HR Magazine’s most influential leaders awards across all sectors.
In 2022, he set up his own consultancy business, Phoenix OD & HR Consulting.
His eulogy said: "The many many tributes that have been written for Paul are testament to what an incredibly knowledgeable HR professional (he) was, generous with his time, a great mentor and friend to so many."
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