Theatre group run in memory of founder member

A TEAM from city-based community theatre company What We Did Next will be taking on the Great North Run, in memory of one of their founding members who died this summer.Andy Godden, from Toxteth, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 and died in June. He was just 32.He performed in WWDN productions over the years including Into the Woods, Batboy, Carousel and Bonnie & Clyde.Racing together as The Runs will be company mates Thomas Loughlin, Zoe Thirsk, Elen Barfield and Megan Key, with Andy's partner Jess Lunt. They will be raising money for his favoured charity, Bowel & Cancer Research, as well as for Bowel Cancer UK. They are close to reaching their £3000 target.When Andy was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he didn’t sit around and mope. He travelled the world and went to see as many musicals as he could with Jess. He also did a skydive with Jess and with his mum Diana to raise money for Bowel & Cancer Research.Poignantly, he had hoped to be at the start and end of the Great North Run in Newcastle on September 9 to cheer his friends along."We didn’t expect him to go so soon,” said Tom. “I thought we had more time. It will probably be a bit of an emotional finish.”He added: "By doing a half-marathon we want to raise as much money as possible to help people like Andy deal with the disease and prevent others having to deal with it at all.“He was absolutely incredible throughout his treatment - stoical, generous, funny and never sorry for himself. He was a great person."Anyone who wants to support The Runs - the name is one of the first signs of bowel cancer - can do so at their fundraising page.