Family and friends of Derbyshire’s Jack Reynolds come together to celebrate his life

Jack, who at 108 was one of the UK’s oldest men, passed away surrounded by family in April last year.

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Now coronavirus restrictions have been eased, his loved ones gathered at the Hollingwood Hotel on Friday night to remember their amazing ‘Jacko’, who was loved by millions of people not just here in Derbyshire but right across the UK and indeed the globe.

Jack’s daughter Jayne Goodwin said it was an ‘amazing’ night.

“He would have been so proud and I’m sure watching down on it,” she added.

“I put up a 4ft poster of him and his eyes followed us everywhere!

“The turnout was brilliant.

“We had an Irish band, JJ Galway, which was a big hit – they brought out hats and props which enhanced the joyous atmosphere.

“Everyone was singing, dancing and laughing which my dad had ordered.

“I managed to just have a few tears when the band played Wild Rover, which was one of dad’s favourite songs, and when Steve and Mark Hewitt, who were previously in Ovacast group and who were neighbours of my dad for many years, sang A Thousand Years acapella at the end of the night.”

Jack, of Hollingwood, went viral and captured hearts when he completed the charity ice bucket challenge dressed in nothing but a pair of Union Jack boxer shorts aged 102.

That’s when he was bitten by the fundraising bug.

He went on to raise many thousands of pounds for several different charities with various challenges – and notched up four Guinness World Records.

Aged 104, he became the planet’s oldest person to get a tattoo – this was, of course, his nickname ‘Jacko’ – and a year later he was declared the oldest person to ride a rollercoaster when he enjoyed a day out at Flamingo Land.

At the age of 106 he achieved the title of the world’s oldest person to ride a zip wire – a 60-metre-high, 400-metre-long challenge at Go Ape which was broadcast live on breakfast TV – and he became the oldest person to be a supporting artist in a TV show at 107 when he appeared on the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks.

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