A Swansea store boss plans to launch a fund-raiser for the city’s inspirational footballing hero John Hartson.
Father of three Paul Davies who manages the Menkind shop in The Quadrant Centre, Swansea, is already raising money for a testicular cancer charity – but now plans to raise even more for the John Hartson Foundation.
The Foundation was launched by the former Wales international who was told in 2009 that testicular cancer had spread to his brain and lungs. But after an heroic battle back to health, the former Celtic FC legend is devoting himself to raising funds and raising awareness of the disease.
Menkind, which specialises in gifts for men, everything from sweets to bathrobes to designer watches and radio-controlled models, is listed as one of the fastest growing privately-owned companies in Britain. This year its 26 UK stores are raising money for the testicular cancer charity, Everyman.
But Paul, 41, who joined the company last year just two days before it opened its Quadrant branch, wanted to make it ‘local’ and decided he would use his own internet based business, called NV-US Clothing, which sells his trendy designed T-shirts, to help the Hartson Foundation.
“John is a local lad, like me, and has been an inspiration in the way he has fought this disease. As a father with a young family, and I know John has four young children, it’s so important that guys listen to John’s message and check themselves out.
“As John discovered treatment in the early stages is so much easier, and more effective, than having to go through what John has had to endure,” said Paul.
A delighted John Hartson said: “It’s great to find someone like Paul who is prepared to help our charity and I wish Paul and the store all the best in their fund-raising efforts.
“Like myself he’s a family man and realises just how important it is that we get the message to men to check themselves out and get early treatment to make sure this disease does not cause unnecessary heartache for their families.”
Despite tough trading conditions nationally, Menkind is in The Times hot 100 list and by Christmas should have 50 stores trading, with between six and 10 of those likely to remain open beyond Christmas to add to the permanent store list.
Its turnover has soared from £3m to £25m a year in the last four years.
“I thought we could run a raffle for John’s charity and I could donate something I would buy myself, like one of our radio controlled model helicopters, as a prize,” said Paul.
The former art college student, and hip-hop fan, was commissioned by a major hip-hop record label to design a tribute T-shirt to the late rapper, Proof, a close friend of superstar Eminem, who was shot and killed at a nightclub in 2006.
The design, requested by Iron Fist Records in Detroit which is part of Eminem’s Shady Records label, will be one of 15 new T-shirts in a collection just launched by Paul.
Other rapper fans of his fashion have also bought T-shirts from Paul’s internet based business, including Crooked I, from California, who is part of the group Slaughterhouse, also signed to Shady Records.
Welsh-speaker Hartson, who admits he was “stupid” for ignoring a lump on his testicles for four years, came close to death after being told his cancer had spread and had to endure life-or-death operations and 67 sessions of chemotherapy.
If you can support Paul you can contact him on 01792 473760. The John Hartson Foundation is on 01792 872375 or [email protected]
