John,one of the great stalwarts and original participant of the Ultimate and TGO Challenges passed away on 29th December 2014 in aNursing Home in Manchester. Full details of his funeral which will take place on 15th January are as yet unknown. I am sure all who knew him will have their own stories to tell about John and hope they will revisit them on this form in his memory. Further details with regard to funeral arrangements will be posted as soon as available.

Really sad to hear about John's passing. I understand that he had an accident at home which resulted in him having to reside in a care home for the last few months of his life. He was truly one of the original Challenge characters, known to many as "Mother". An original member of the Pennine Way Society and stalwart long distance walker he will be missed by many.

Very sorry to hear of John Needham's death. He was one of the couthy characters who created the Challenge family as we know it now. Some us can recall the day he announced that his tent, tied loosely to his sack, had disappeared. As we realised that he was looking for a billet for the remaining days to the coast, most shamefully disappeared over the horizon. As well as being key to the development of the Pennine Way, John was a gifted artist: the Challenge certificates he designed are true works of art. The outdoor world is the poorer for his passing.

John's Funeral will take place on 15th January at 2.20pm at Agecroft Crematorium, Langley Road , Pendlebury, Salford. All who knew John are welcome. There will be a Buffet following the service.

Sad news indeed. I last saw John in Glen Kinglass when on the 2004 challenge.
He was walking solo that year but on other occasions I had met him he was accompanied by the much younger Chris Sainty, a unique combination.

As Pete mentions he was also a stalwart of the Pennine Way Association for whom he maintained annually their excellent Accommodation List.

As one who has some of the challenge certificates he designed I agree wholeheartedly with JD regarding their quality.

My condolences to John's family and friends.

Another Challenge stalwort leaves us but not forgotten.I too have is
lovely Challenge certificates.A real work of art,each relevant to that
particular Challenge.I had mine framed they are so good.He and Chris
were both Penine Way celebrates .John was great company and shortened
many a long day.Sad day for everyone who new him.

Thank you one and all for providing details of John’s funeral arrangements before any one else. As you may know, John was one of two Vice Presidents of the Pennine Way Association, having stepped down as President due to ill health. As President, John walked in the footsteps of Tom Stephenson who was the first President.

I will of course attend the funeral in Manchester and I have already booked my train ticket from Chelmsford arriving in Manchester at 12.07. If there is anyone else intending to be there at that time please let me know and we can perhaps share a taxi to the crematorium or at least travel together by public transport. I am booked back on the 17.55 if anyone wants to share a taxi or offer a lift to the station.

John was one of life eccentrics and we all loved him for it. I did a couple of Challenges with John and I have known him for almost 30 years during my time on the Executive Committee of the Pennine Way Association (I am currently Chairman). I used to do quite a lot of challenges, then marriage and the Pennine Way distracted me.

I remember two instances involving John on the Challenge. On one occasion we were walking up a remote glen (as a team of three) when we noticed that John wasn’t behind us. This wasn’t unusual as he was slower than us and was quite happy walking solo. We stopped and waited for him to catch up and after an hour, we decided to walk back and see if he was OK. About a couple of miles back along our route, there was John, pitched for the night with a brew going! The second occasion related to the fact that John could wear two pairs of underpants at the same time! John didn’t carry too much gear so there was always ‘one on and one in the wash’. What other challengers probably do notknow was that John used to thoroughly wring out his ‘smalls’ and then put them on his head to dry. I wish I had photographic evidence of this when we were away from other people but alas I don’t.

I know John loved staying in Thwaite on the Pennine Way and it is my intention to try and have a suitable plaque placed there to remind others what a remarkable person he was.

I last saw John at the PWA AGM in Leeds last year before he had his fall. He took a taxi from Manchester to Leeds and it waited for him until the meeting ended to take him back. Such was his commitment to the PWA. When he retired I produced a photo album of 200+ photos of the PW so he could still walk it in his mind, although I am sure he didn't need it. I also gave him a copy of my PW guidebook which I wrote in 2014 (which was probably the last book he read.

Sad news indeed,I have many memories of John on different Challenges.
A unique character with a magnetic attraction to water.Having witnessed
a couple of unintentional submersions.Walking the trade route to Newtonmore
he lost his tent along the road, I think Billy Mcmhon picked it up,not until
he realised did Billy own up.When on an early Challenge,John turned up at Alltbeithe
soaking,It had been tipping it down all day,he had straddled a wee burn to get a drink
only to fall face first into it.In the process splitting his new Goretex (then a new innovation) overtrousers,from crotch to both knees,"Bloody Goretex"he commented what a waste of money"
Myra and I and many more Challengers regret the passing of another great Challenger.