A GROUNDWORKER swapped his hard hat and steel-capped boots for ladies’ dresses and high heels in aid of a cause close to his heart.
Darren Brown, from Leigh, who drives dumper trucks and 360 excavators, wore women’s clothes for a week on a building site in Middleton.
The 34-year-old embarked on the cheeky cross-dressing challenge in memory of his dad Mack, who was supported by Macmillan Cancer Support before he sadly passed away from lung cancer.
Darren said: “I decided to do it because when my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer he received fantastic support from Macmillan.
"He always wanted me to work and said not to take a day off for him.
"He was a very proud dad and he got more out of me being at work than he would have done if I’d been at home with him.
“That’s when the Macmillan nurses used to visit during the day, when I was at work, and I can honestly say they put they put the biggest smile on his face.
"I would walk through the door and dad would have something good to talk about.
"He’d chat about the nurses and what they had done and how he’d been treated and how they loved our dog, Pearl.
“They really went the extra mile and simply lifted his spirits, which made a massive difference and that is why I just felt I wanted and needed to give something back.”
Darren and Macmillan Cancer Support fundraising manager John Rullo
Darren works for Coppull-based civil engineering company Matthews and Leigh, which is carrying out the ground works at Lovell Homes’ new development on Windermere Road in Middleton – where Darren wore a different outfit every day for his ‘fancy dress’ fundraiser.
In doing the challenge he raised more than £1,600 for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Darren's colleagues show how much money he raised for Macmillan Cancer Support
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Darren added: “My workmates were very supportive along with the bosses at Matthew's and Leigh.
"Obviously, they took the mickey for the first day or two, but they also said how much courage it took for me to do it too.
“Every one of them kindly sponsored me for wearing the dresses and they said how it raised their spirits while working in the bit of bad weather and it kept a smile on their face as well as my own.
"Passers-by and neighbours around the site, along with delivery drivers, just looked and then looked again to see if what they saw was real!”
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