Charity walk in memory of teen killed in crash

1 hour ago

Liz Copper,BBC Midlands Todayand

Eleanor Lawson,West Midlands

News image — Jacob Holman's friends and family gathered to walk a charity 10k in his memory

BBC A group of people in white t-shirts take part in a walk, starting in a car park with houses visible behind them. — Jacob Holman's friends and family gathered to walk a charity 10k in his memory

The friends and family of a teenage boy from Wolverhampton who died in a crash have carried out a 10k walk to raise money for the charity that tried to save him.

Jacob Holman was one of three teenagers who died after a crash on Offoxey Road in Tong, Shropshire, in March 2025.

Teams from the Midlands Air Ambulance tried to save the 17-year-old, who had been a passenger in the car, and now his family are fundraising to support the charity, which relies on donations for its £16m a year running costs.

Jacob's family set off from the The Cross Keys pub in Willenhall in the #Steps4Jacob walk, with the pub also hosting various fundraising activities throughout the day.

Family Head and shoulders shot of Jacob Holman in a black T-shirt looking directly at the camera — Jacob Holman died in hospital a day after the crash near Shifnal in Shropshire

Speaking to the BBC before the walk, Jacob's mother, Martell Blackford, said: "I think it's going to be very emotional, but also a good fun day as well and it's bringing everybody back together again.

"A lot of the faces that will be here today we haven't seen since Jacob's funeral, so it's bringing everybody back together.

"And more importantly, it's raising as much money for Air Ambulance and as much awareness - they need the support like this. "

A woman with blonde hair looks at the camera, wearing a white t-shirt which says '#Steps4Jacob' and '#10forken' on it. — Martell Blackford, who has also opened a cafe in memory of her son, said the fundraiser was bringing everybody back together

The walk was organised by Jacob's sister, Summer Holman, who helps run The Cross Keys with her mother-in-law.

There are hopes the event could be an annual event to honour Jacob's memory.

The 22-year-old said: "He would love that all of his friends are here and I think he probably would love secretly that everyone was making a fuss over him.

"I think he'd just be grateful that even though he isn't here so many people are still thinking about him, that we're all still talking about him and that we all miss him so much."

A young woman with long dark hair and gold hoop earrings smiles at the camera, while standing in front of a hedge. She is wearing a white t-shirt which says '#Steps4Jacob' and '#10forken' on it. — Summer Holman organised the walk in memory of her brother

Jacob was the youngest of four children and became the "man of the house" when his father died a few years ago.

Before he died, he had started his first job and was thinking about training as a chef.

After her son's death, Martell Blackford opened a cafe in Tettenhall in his memory, called Jacob's Table.

"When the opportunity came up to take on this place I had to because I felt like Jacob was guiding me to do it," Blackford told the BBC last year.

Speaking at the fundraising event, Fay Pollock from West Midlands Air Ambulance said: "It is just incredible, they're all going through an emotional time and they're still able to think of our welfare and our future, so we can continue to deliver the service we can."

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