Lovell launches national £100,000 Brain Tumour Research campaign in memory of “amazing” colleague

National housing specialist, Lovell, is joining forces with Brain Tumour Research for a new campaign to raise funds and awareness in memory of a much-loved colleague.

Mick Laws, aged 55, was Managing Director for the London region, and died in January after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

His death had a profound impact on colleagues across Lovell and has inspired the launch of The Big Lovell Brainwave - a two-year campaign to raise funds for vital research and awareness.

The campaign aims to raise more than £100,000 through a series of fundraising events across the country.

The Big Lovell Brainwave’s first fundraising event, The Big Golf Day Brainwave, was held in Wales at Whitchurch Golf Club on June 11.

The event brought together 104 colleagues, clients and supply chain partners from the South Wales and West teams to remember Mick and begin raising funds for Brain Tumour Research.

Mick joined Lovell in 2019 as Pre-Commencement and Development Director and went on to become Managing Director for the London region. Across his six years with the business, he made a lasting impact through what he achieved, the team he helped build, and the relationships he formed across the construction and housing sectors.

He was diagnosed with grade four glioblastoma in 2024. Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive and rapidly growing tumour that is especially challenging to treat. It is the most common type of primary high-grade brain tumour in adults, with around 3,200 people diagnosed each year in the UK. For patients with glioblastoma, their tumour almost always recurs and when it does, options are extremely limited.

His wife, Jo, described the moment the family first realised something was seriously wrong, after their daughter Evie alerted Jo to some strange noises being made by Mick. Jo said: “It was completely out of the blue, I found him sitting there slumped and realised he was in a really bad state, so I shouted to Evie to call 999 straight away. Mick then had three massive seizures, so the ambulance crew put him into an induced coma and then we went off to hospital and straight into the High Dependency Unit”.

Through a series of tests, it was discovered that Mick had a brain tumour. A bombshell moment for the family.

“I went home and looked at all the different tumours and stages, and I remember going back the next day saying, ‘we just don’t want the Grade 4. And that’s what we got.”

Mick’s family and colleagues hope the Big Lovell Brainwave will help raise awareness of brain tumours and support research into better outcomes for people affected by the disease.

Jo added: “I am moved and extremely grateful for what Lovell have done to support us through Mick’s journey. The fact that they are continuing to support this charity, is just amazing. It’s so important to raise awareness because for us, we just didn’t have any idea. Mick didn’t have any idea. It was just one morning and that was it. It changes you for the rest of your life. The money raised will go into research and help other people. That’s got to be a good thing.”

Steve Coleby, Managing Director at Lovell, said: “Mick’s death has been felt deeply by the people who worked alongside him every day, across Lovell and across the wider sector. Our thoughts remain with Jo, their daughters and Mick’s wider family, and we are incredibly grateful to them for allowing us to honour Mick’s memory in this way. “He was an amazing colleague - he loved being part of the team as much as we loved working alongside him. We all really miss him.

“Brain tumours devastate lives and every diagnosis changes a family forever. The Big Lovell Brainwave has been created in Mick’s memory because we wanted to do something meaningful. This campaign is about turning grief into action, funding vital research and bringing hope to other families affected by brain tumours. Through fundraising and awareness, Mick’s legacy will live on by helping change the future for other people.”

Dan Knowles, CEO of Brain Tumour Research, said: “We are delighted to welcome Lovell as a corporate fundraising partner. Partnerships like this are absolutely vital if we are to accelerate progress towards better treatments and a cure. Lovell’s commitment, inspired by Mick’s devastating story, demonstrates the powerful role businesses can play in driving change.

“By raising both funds and awareness, they are helping to shine a light on a disease that has been overlooked for far too long. Together, we can give hope to patients and families affected by brain tumours.

Further fundraising activity is planned over the next two years, including The Big Bike Ride Brainwave, a national cycle challenge taking place in September, and a gala event.

Brain Tumour Research funds sustainable research at dedicated UK Centres of Excellence and campaigns to increase national investment into brain tumour research.

The Big Lovell Brainwave will support the charity’s work while helping raise awareness among Lovell colleagues, partners and communities across the UK. Donations can be made on: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/the-big-lovell-brainwave-with-brain-tumour-research.