The Tom Love Trust
Tom Love
Tom Love was an inspirational young man who will never be able to reach his full potential as he tragically passed away in December 2022 at the age of just 21, whilst living and working in the DRC.
Tom was the most amazing friend, brother and son who had the best outlook on life. He loved adventure and people across the world. He had a profound impact on people everywhere he went.
We believe that his impact should not be forgotten. We believe in honouring his passions and values by funding projects that Tom would have loved.
Working with the wonderful Angus Lawson Memorial Trust (ALMT) we want to support children and young people in deprived areas of the UK and Africa - places which Tom had very close to his heart. As examples, we want to help improve access to education and healthcare in Africa, as well as developing young people’s horizons here in the UK - showing them that you can follow your passions and give them a sense of adventure, whilst improving their quality of life.
Details of projects that we choose to partner with in the UK and Africa will be shown on the website as we choose them (see "Funded Projects"). All administration costs are covered, so you can be sure that every penny raised will go directly towards projects supporting children and young people. If you want to contact us for more information, please use the "Contact Us" dialogue box on the website.
(for large or overseas donations please go to "Downloads" for bank details)
About Tom
Tom was a free and independent spirit. He was constantly curious and fascinated about the world, meeting people and chatting with everyone! He knew early on that a conventional path in life was not for him - the thought of sitting at a desk everyday horrified him!
At the age of 17 he (secretly) applied to the Army Officer Selection Board for entry to Sandhurst. Against his own expectations he passed and was advised to work and travel a bit before taking up his place. He hit on an idea to motorbike around the Africa on his Honda CRF 250, all paid for by his work during Covid.
Tom in Africa
Tom set off from home in early September 2021, determined to start his journey before he turned 20. He travelled through more than two dozen countries, all on his own (though met some great friends for parts of the journey). He relished the experience, and the stories he collected would have made an amazing book! He camped at the side of the road in nearly every country. He was shot at by an overzealous police officer in Cameroon, crossed rivers with his bike balanced precariously in wooden canoes, was arrested in Angola for spurious immigration offences, escaped a presidential coup by minutes in Guinea Bissau, talked his way through borders otherwise closed by covid restrictions.
On his way through Africa he very often found himself being adopted by total strangers, simply by his nature of being open to new experiences, saying “yes” much more often than saying “no”. Whether being taken in by an octogenarian French expat lady in Sierra Leone who, after living in Wakefield for two years in the 1960s still spoke English with a Yorkshire accent, or falling in with a group of plantation managers along the west coast of Africa who all wanted to meet this mad Englishman on his journey south through their different countries, to a French family in Guinea Bissau with whom meant to stay for a couple of nights, and ended up staying a month partly because their young daughters refused to let him leave until they’d had their birthday with him.
To fund the next part of his trip, he got a job driving tractors on a farm in DRC that was aiming to relieve some of the dependence on imports that citizens there have. This was a dream job for Tom - he loved the idea of working hard to help others. He was wrapping up his contract and planning to ride down to Cape Town for Christmas to meet up with Jaz and her family. Unfortunately he had contracted an infectious disease there which went undiagnosed until it was too late. Tom passed away on 2nd December 2022. He is missed every single day by all who loved him.
Meet The Team
Angus Love
Geoff & Debs Love
Jasmine Newton
Tom's younger brother, and a regular partner in crime! Angus is studying Aerospace Engineering at Bath University
Jasmine Newton
Geoff & Debs Love
Jasmine Newton
Jaz and Tom were together for years and were devoted to one another. Jaz is studying Natural Sciences at Durham University
Alex Hodson
Geoff & Debs Love
Geoff & Debs Love
Alex was Tom's best friend, and they'd known each other since they were 4 years old. Alex is studying PPE at Leeds University
Geoff & Debs Love
Geoff & Debs Love
Geoff & Debs Love
Tom was an incredible son, and gave us 21 years of joy. We hope we can create a legacy for him through this.
Upcoming Fundraising Efforts
Clara Brown - Leeds Marathon
Chris, Jonny, & Izzy Grint - Hackney Half Marathon
Peter & Archie Rowlins - Bristol 10K
Already a Fundraising Hero after her Richmond Half Marathon last year, Clara has entered the Leeds Marathon on Sunday 12th May.
You can learn more about it and sponsor her here
Peter & Archie Rowlins - Bristol 10K
Chris, Jonny, & Izzy Grint - Hackney Half Marathon
Peter & Archie Rowlins - Bristol 10K
The Rowlins are long time friends of the family since Tom and Archie went to prep school together. Father and son are running the Bristol 10K together - it is set to be a ruthless battle for pride!
You can learn more about it and sponsor them here
Chris, Jonny, & Izzy Grint - Hackney Half Marathon
Chris, Jonny, & Izzy Grint - Hackney Half Marathon
Chris, Jonny, & Izzy Grint - Hackney Half Marathon
Chris Grint has been a friend of Angus's for years through school and rugby. He has improbably roped in his brother and sister to compete in the Hackney Half Marathon on 19th May.
You can learn more about it and sponsor them here
Natasha Sleet - Exeter Half Marathon
Owen, Jacob, Jack, Nick & Rob - Leamington Spa Half Marathon
Chris, Jonny, & Izzy Grint - Hackney Half Marathon
Tasha's family have been friends of Tom's family for many years, since Tom & Angus were cub scouts. Tasha is competing in the Exeter Half Marathon on 26th May.
You can learn more about it and sponsor her here
Andy Lack - Ireland End-to-End
Owen, Jacob, Jack, Nick & Rob - Leamington Spa Half Marathon
Owen, Jacob, Jack, Nick & Rob - Leamington Spa Half Marathon
Andy and his wife Vicky have been friends of ours for over thirty years, and our kids were very close. In June Andy is cycling the length of Ireland, from Mizen Head in the south to Malin Head in the north, along the challenging Atlantic west coast - 920km in all!
You can learn more about it and sponsor him here
Owen, Jacob, Jack, Nick & Rob - Leamington Spa Half Marathon
Owen, Jacob, Jack, Nick & Rob - Leamington Spa Half Marathon
Owen, Jacob, Jack, Nick & Rob - Leamington Spa Half Marathon
Owen Price and Angus have been friends for years, and have had many, many skiing adventures together. Owen and four friends are racing in the Leamington Spa Half Marathon in June.
You can learn more about it and sponsor them here
Curtis Tonks - Ironman Switzerland
Tommy Davies and Ed & James Watson - Norway End-to-End
Nicola, Troy and Jonny - Pedal The Pyrenees
Already a Fundraising Hero after the Ironman Swansea 70.3 for us in July 2023, in July 2024 Curtis is set to compete in what has been voted The Most Beautiful Race In The World - Ironman Switzerland in Thun. 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of cycling finished off with a marathon in the Swiss Alps.
More details will be available soon!
Nicola, Troy and Jonny - Pedal The Pyrenees
Tommy Davies and Ed & James Watson - Norway End-to-End
Nicola, Troy and Jonny - Pedal The Pyrenees
In July the trio of our friends and neighbours Nichola, Troy and Jonny will be teaming up to compete in the unforgiving Pedal The Pyrenees – 710km in 7 days which will see an astonishing 13,750m of climbing, one and a half time the height of Everest.
You can learn more about it and sponsor them here
Tommy Davies and Ed & James Watson - Norway End-to-End
Tommy Davies and Ed & James Watson - Norway End-to-End
Tommy Davies and Ed & James Watson - Norway End-to-End
Tommy Davies and his family have been friends of Tom's family since he went to primary school. Ed Watson was a teammate of Tom's at rugby. In August they and Ed's brother James are cycling the length of Norway in August - 3,100km! - to raise money for the trust.
You can learn more about it and sponsor them here
Debs & Geoff - JOGLE
More events will be shared here soon!
Tommy Davies and Ed & James Watson - Norway End-to-End
Debs & Geoff are planning to cycle the full length of Britain from John O'Groats to Lands End in 2025.
More details soon!
Get involved!
More events will be shared here soon!
More events will be shared here soon!
If you'd like to get involved and raise money in Tom's memory please get in touch. We'll help with setting up your fundraising page and help with ideas
More events will be shared here soon!
More events will be shared here soon!
More events will be shared here soon!
