Cyclists form guard of honour for Upper Hopton community stalwart

Cyclists formed a guard of honour at the funeral of a community stalwart who left a smile in the hearts of everyone he met.
Cyclists line the streets to pay their respects to Ash RaineCyclists line the streets to pay their respects to Ash Raine
Cyclists line the streets to pay their respects to Ash Raine

Paul Ashley Raine - known as Ash - died of mesothelioma 12 months to the day since he was diagnosed with the terminal asbestos-related cancer.

Ash, 58, a self-employed electrician, was a popular figure in the Upper Hopton community where he lived with wife Alex.

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On the day of his funeral the village came to a stop and police closed the road outside St John’s Church as around 200 people lined the streets.

Cyclists from Huddersfield Star Wheelers, of which Ash and Alex were members, formed a guard of honour and volunteers from Hopton in Bloom decorated the church lychgate with flowers.

The former BT phone box in the village, now an exhibition space, was turned into a celebration of Ash’s life by niece Georgia.

Alex said: “The turnout at the funeral was wonderful and really comforting. It was devastatingly sad, of course, and while everybody had a tear in their eye Ash left a smile in everybody’s heart.”

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Alex paid tribute to her husband and said: “From being a boy Ash was always a smiler and that continued all his life. If he could make a joke out of something he would and he would have people in stitches.

“He knew all the terrible jokes and if he could catch people out he’d take great delight in that.”

Ash, the youngest of three brothers, was born in Batley and up in Healey before moving to Staincliffe. He attended Healey Primary School and Batley Boys’ High School and worked at the John F. Kennedy pub in Dewsbury before training to become an electrician.

He met Alex 20 years ago when she worked at the Bath Hotel in Dewsbury.

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Alex said: “Ash always aspired to live in Upper Hopton and wanted to be part of village life.”

Ash showed his sense of fun when he named his house ‘Wemedit’ - Yorkshire for ‘we made it’!

The couple married at St John’s Church in 2008 and the whole village joined in.

Ash served as chairman of Upper Hopton Community Association and volunteered with Hopton in Bloom. He took part in all the community events even dressing up as a jockey - he was small in stature - for a race night.

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Cycling and football were Ash’s childhood passions and he returned to those pastimes later in life.

He and Alex joined Huddersfield Star Wheelers and became ride leaders running a group called the Steady Eddies.

They were both Huddersfield Town season ticket holders and later Ash went to matches with niece Georgia.

Ash also took part in Town’s Pedal for Pounds fundraising bike rides and former player and club ambassador Andy Booth, who also went on the rides, attended the funeral.

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Ash died on November 4, exactly a year to the day since he was diagnosed with mesothelioma and given 12 months to live.

“The diagnosis was devastating but Ash saw it as his next challenge - just like riding his bike over the Alps. He was going to conquer it,” said Alex.

“He didn’t want there to be an elephant in the room so he told everyone about it. He got up every day and smiled. He never moaned and always said there was someone worse off than him. He was really selfless.”

Ash had chemotherapy but it had to be halted during the first Covid-19 lockdown.

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“Ash found lockdown really tough,” said Alex. “He was very sociable but he couldn’t go out and people couldn’t come to see him for fear of passing something on.

“In August the chemo started again but then he had to go in and out of hospital. It was a constant battle for him but he kept a positive attitude.”

Ash was in St James’ Hospital in Leeds when his condition suddenly deteriorated and he died with Alex by his side.

The family set up a JustGiving page and have so far raised more than £4,000 for mesothelioma research.

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Alex, 53, has received around 200 cards, 18 bouquets of flowers and countless messages on social media and would like to thank everyone for their kindness. Only 20 people were allowed inside the church due to social distancing and lockdown restrictions.

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