29 Apr 2025 Community

Walking for Love: Tyler’s Tribute to His Grandmother and The Kirkwood

When tragedy strikes, it’s the kindness and compassion of others that can leave a lasting impression. For Tyler Hawkins, the care his grandmother received at The Kirkwood during her final weeks changed his life forever. Now a dedicated fundraiser and a local Labour councillor Tyler is determined to ensure that The Kirkwood continues to be there for other families, just as it was for his.

When Tyler Hawkins lost his beloved grandmother Margaret to cancer, he knew he wanted to do something to give back to the organisation that had cared for her, and for his family in their time of greatest need.

“My grandmother lived here all her life, just around the corner on Cross Green Road,” Tyler explains. “She was absolutely fine for most of her life, no issues at all. Then she was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer. At first, she was treated at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, but as things progressed, she moved to The Kirkwood. She spent about six weeks there, and honestly, the care she received was absolutely exceptional. It wasn’t just medical care; it was genuine compassion, day in, day out.”

Tyler, who was just 18 at the time, still remembers how important that care was not only for Margaret, but for the whole family: "Before she came here, she had spent a short time in another care home. I can honestly say the difference between there and The Kirkwood was night and day. With The Kirkwood, it wasn’t just about making her comfortable, the staff looked after us too. They made sure me, my dad, and my sister were all okay. They checked in on us, made sure we had everything we needed. It was a level of support I never expected but was so grateful for."

Margaret, who Tyler describes warmly as “very much a mother hen”, had always been at the heart of their family.

He said: "My grandma, Margaret was like a second mother to me. We were extremely close. When I was a kid, she used to pick me up and take me to school every day, and every weekend we’d be around at hers for Sunday lunch. Her home really felt like our home too. She was the head of the family and she always made sure everyone else was looked after before herself."

Accepting care was difficult for Margaret, Tyler remembers, because she had spent her whole life looking after others: "Being in a position where she had to be looked after was completely alien to her, but the team with The Kirkwood managed it with such kindness and dignity that it made the transition so much easier for her."

At the time, Tyler admits he didn’t fully understand what The Kirkwood offered beyond hospice care.

He said: "Before my grandma came here, I had a vague idea about what The Kirkwood was, but it was only when we were going through the journey ourselves that I truly understood just how much they offer. We thought it would just be about making her as comfortable as possible in her final days, which of course it was, but it was so much more than that. The support extended to the whole family."

The family were offered access to counselling services, and even though they didn’t take it up, Tyler says just knowing it was available made a big difference: "It was a real safety net for us, and you don’t realise how important that is until you’re in the middle of it."

For Tyler, the moment Margaret arrived to The Kirkwood's In-Patient Unit it marked a huge change.

He commented: "From the moment she came through the doors, everything changed. Before that, dealing with hospitals and other care homes felt stressful and full of red tape. However with The Kirkwood, it was like all of that was lifted. We could just focus on spending time with her, loving her, and being a family again. If we hadn’t had The Kirkwood, I honestly think her final days and our memories of them would have been filled with so much more pain and frustration."

In memory of Margaret, Tyler threw himself into supporting The Kirkwood through fundraising and events. He has now taken part in the Memory Walk now the Starlight Walk five times, participated in the fire walk, and continues to support The Kirkwood Lottery.

On this fundraising he said: "The first time I did the memory walk was actually because a mate asked me to join him. I signed up more out of loyalty to my friend at first. But once I got there, saw the number of people, heard the stories, felt the atmosphere, it became about so much more. It became very personal. Walking the streets of Dalton, Kirkheaton, the places where we all grew up, passing my grandma’s old house, it just felt right. It felt like honouring her memory properly."

The event became a healing experience too. Tyler explained: "When you’re going through losing someone you love, it’s such a lonely experience. Even when you’re surrounded by family, there’s an isolation that comes with grief. But being part of something like the Starlight Walk, seeing hundreds of others who have been touched by The Kirkwood it’s a real comfort. It reminds you that you’re not alone."

For Tyler, three things keep him coming back each year.

He said: "The three best things about the Starlight Walk for me? First, it’s the atmosphere at the start, it is a real celebration of everything The Kirkwood stands for. It’s like going to a match: you’re surrounded by people who are all there for the same reason, pulling together. Second, the route itself is always lovely, familiar and meaningful, passing places that bring back good memories. And third, meeting new people, hearing their stories, sharing smiles and tears along the way. It makes you realise you're part of a wider community that really cares."

The family have collected a fair few T-shirts from the events, which Tyler jokes now double as gym gear: "We’ve got orange, green, blue and now pink they’re all still going strong!"

But Tyler’s involvement goes beyond the events. As well as being a passionate supporter of The Kirkwood, Tyler is also a local councillor for the Labour Party, and he is all too aware of the pressures organisations like The Kirkwood face financially.

He said: "The Kirkwood is absolutely vital for our community. It’s not just a hospice, it’s a whole network of care and support. They go out into people’s homes, they’re there at the most vulnerable moments, offering kindness and dignity when it’s needed the most. A lot of people don’t realise how much they do until they need it, and when they do, it’s absolutely priceless."

He worries about the growing financial pressures hospices are under.

Tyler said: "It’s not right that a place as important as this has to rely so heavily on fundraising. Yes, we do what we can, and people are incredibly generous, but national support needs to be there too. Facilities like The Kirkwood don’t just grow back once they’re lost. It’s taken 40 years to build this, and we need to fight to protect it."

He adds: "You see it in the loyalty people have. Whether it’s fire walks, bike rides, marathons, people stay connected to The Kirkwood long after their loved one have gone. That kind of loyalty doesn’t happen by accident; it’s a reflection of how special this place really is."

Now preparing for this year’s Starlight Walk, Tyler is feeling fitter and more determined than ever.

He said: "I am looking forward to this year’s Starlight Walk. I’ve lost a fair bit of weight since last year, so I’m hoping to be more hare than tortoise this time around! Either way, it's always an amazing night."

For Tyler, walking in memory of Margaret isn’t just about looking back, it’s about making sure future families have the same support his family received when they needed it most. 

Want to get involved with this years The Kirkwood Starlight Walk, you can sign up HERE and walk alongside hundreds of other people under the skies of Huddersfield.