Mark Edwards attended St Mary’s The Mount Junior School before moving on to Merchant Taylors Boys School, Crosby. He made the most of his time at MTS, representing the school in various sports teams, acting in a number of school productions and excelling in the Combined Cadet Force.
De Montford University, Leicester followed and after his time at Leicester, Mark returned to Liverpool and built a career, eventually establishing himself in the logisitics industry, after starting with the Department for Work and Pensions. Mark moved with Anna and baby Beth to Hong Kong with Maersk Line, and spent 8 happy years there within the international ex-pat community. When he returned to the UK, His family had grown to five – with the addition of 2 more daughters, Alex and Tori.
After his family, sport was Mark’s great love. A lifelong Evertonian like his dad before him, he was a shareholder of the Club and past treasurer of the Everton Shareholders Association. Before moving abroad, Mark rose to be Captain of Northern Cricket Club in the Liverpool Competition, building a side which would go on to be champions shortly after he moved. He also found the time to play rugby for Waterloo and football for Dingwall. On arrival in Hong Kong, he joined the Hong Kong Cricket Club and quickly established himself as a stalwart of the Club, & Captain of Scorpions Cricket, and was integral in amalgamating with Aberdeen Rugby Club.
Sandwiched between his family, work and sporting commitments, Mark somehow managed to find time give to give back, regularly supporting Prostate Cancer Charities, in memory of his Dad. Amongst others, Mark completed a 50KM hike in Hong Kong in 2010, raising over £3k, regularly through ‘Movember’, notably in 2012 individually raising over HK$44k of the Hong Kong Cricket Club total of HK$415k. In 2016 he completed the 50km Peak District Trek in under 12 hours, raising over £4k on the 20th anniversary of his Dad’s passing.
After returning to the UK, Mark became involved in a charity to send cricket equipment to Sri Lanka, and early in 2018, a container filled with bats, balls, pads and other equipment was despatched to Sri Lanka. Many local schools, cricket clubs and individuals had rallied to support the charity, co-ordinated through Merchant Taylors School and shipped by Allport Cargo Services.
Mark represented Hong Kong Cricket Club at the MCG in Melbourne, and in one of his proudest moments, Mark played against the MCC at Lords.
Upon relocation to UK he made gaining membership of West Lancs Golf Club a priority on par with finding a suitable family home. As in all things, Mark threw himself into West Lancs life, playing as often as possible, between business trips, entering as many competitions as he could. His handicap dropped into single figures within a couple of years.
Cancer struck him down in August 2017, aged just 44, leaving a devastated family and three young children without their father. Mark was larger than life, and lived a life of fulfillment and achievement.
At his passing, his funeral in Blundellsands completely filled the Church, with many standing at the back and outside. People flew in from across the World to be there, and there was a simultaneous celebration of Mark’s life held at the Hong Kong Cricket Club.
Later in 2020, a special cricket match was played in Hong Kong in Mark’s memory, and a specially engraved bell was commemorated in his honour, and was inaugurated by Anna and Mark’s Mum, Barbara.
One Life Lived, Many Lives Touched.
Copyright 2017-2024 Mark Edwards Foundation
Registered charity in England and Wales No. 1185769