A POPULAR businessman who died in July after being diagnosed with blood cancer is being remembered by his friend who has made a commitment to honour his memory.

Mike Airey managed Darlington’s Handelsbanken and was well-known as an astute banker, dedicated to tackling youth unemployment and helping others despite undergoing treatment since 2008.

His friend, Karl Pemberton, managing director of Active Chartered Financial Planners, has now braved the shave and cut off his hair in honour of Mr Airey to raise money for North-East blood cancer charity, Bright Red.

Mr Pemberton is challenging other business leaders in the North-East to do the same and raise funds for the charity that supported Mr Airey throughout his cancer treatment.

Speaking about his much-missed friend, Mr Pemberton said: “I’m now challenging any of my fellow professionals to do similar, to raise money to help fight this horrible disease.

“If we can give our time, our money, or in my case, our hair to help those who are suffering, we should step up and do it.”

A spokesman for the Bright Red charity, based in Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital, said: “Bright Red aims to make the North-East the safest place in the UK, if not the world, to be treated for blood cancer.

“We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported the Just Giving page in Michael Airey’s memory, as they have made a significant contribution to Bright Red’s work in the future.”