In 2025, James sadly passed away from heart failure at the age of just 47. A devoted husband, father, friend and much-loved family man, his loss was deeply felt by everyone who knew him.
James’s wife Rachel describes him as:
“Authentic, fearless, loving, ambitious, joyous. Husband, brother, father, son, friend. James was so many things to so many people that a mere list of words comes no way near summing him up… he was a lover of life’s simple joys and liked nothing better than spending time with his boys in the park or sharing his house, food and laughter with friends and extended family.
Everything he did, he did at full throttle. Whether it was building great businesses – such as Cazcabel Tequila, the global tequila brand – or supporting his beloved Everton, he threw himself into it with a passion that was thrilling and magnetic. He brought so much joy to a world badly in need of it.
The Latin motto of Everton translates as ’Nothing but the best is good enough’ and he always was – and always will be – the very best there is”
In Memory of James
James received care at the Royal Sussex County Hospital (RSCH), where he was supported by the teams within the Sussex Cardiac Centre. Following his passing, Rachel began fundraising, with the aim of supporting the RSCH cardiac unit.
The SHC is privileged to have joined with Rachel in establishing a fund in James’s memory.
We are delighted that the fund has already supported two staff members, who attended a specialist ECMO course at St Thomas’ hospital in London.
Thanks to Rachel’s incredible fundraising efforts, alongside the generosity of James’s friends and family the fund has already raised more than £20,000.
In addition to this, the staff at Proof Drinks, (which James co-founded) embarked on a fundraising challenge to mark the first anniversary of James’s passing. You can read more about their fundraising journey below.
SHC: Supporting Lifesaving ECMO Care at the RSCH
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is a temporary life support system. The ECMO machine temporarily takes over the function of the heart and lungs by oxygenating blood outside the body and returning it to the patient. By providing this vital support, ECMO allows the heart and lungs time to rest and recover. ECMO is a highly specialised treatment that is only considered for severely ill cardiac patients when all other types of interventions have not provided enough support.
The SHC was proud to help introduce ECMO to the RSCH by part funding the first piece of equipment for the cardiac unit.
The cardiac team performed their first ECMO procedure in 2021.
ECMO is a highly specialised technique that requires extensive specialist training for all members of the team involved, including cardiothoracic surgeons, perfusion specialists and nurses.
As one of only a few national ECMO centres, St Thomas’ provides exceptional clinical expertise, education and teaching. Thanks to the support of James’s fund, staff were able attend this specialist training course, gaining the vital skills, knowledge, and experience required to deliver the highest standard of care to critically ill cardiac patients.
9,000 km for James: London to Mexico
Earlier this year, the team at Proof Drinks embarked on a unique fundraising challenge to mark the first anniversary of James’s passing.
Started in January, “9,000km for James” was a company-wide three month challenge, with the goal of collectively travelling the equivalent distance from Proof Drinks HQ on Bermondsey Street in London to the home of their Cazcabel Tequila distillery in Jalisco, Mexico.
The team ran, cycled, swam, rowed and walked their way across the virtual route, united by a shared goal: to honour James’s memory in a meaningful way.
To add some friendly competition, every week they awarded “The Blue Jersey” to the person who clocked the highest number of kilometres. A tribute to James’s love of Everton, each winner was featured in the team’s progress updates wearing a digitally added blue Everton shirt.
By the end of the first month, the team had already completed an astonishing 4,278.94 kilometres, placing them virtually in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean!
By March, the team had ‘travelled’ to the shores of Mexico and successfully reached their destination in Jalisco, Mexico – home of Cazcabel Tequila. When the challenge ended, the total distance travelled stood at an extraordinary 10,521.51 kilometres and the team had smashed the original goal – a fantastic effort!
Among the many standout performances, one participant completed an incredible 943.1 kilometres during the challenge, a great personal accomplishment.
Alongside the impressive distance covered, the team also raised a fantastic £2,777 for the fund.
We would like to thank everyone at Proof Drinks for their amazing fundraising efforts – what an inspiring group effort and a wonderful way to honour James’s memory.
“This challenge was about much more than kilometres. It was about honouring James’ memory, bringing colleagues together and supporting a cause that could save lives in the future. We are incredibly proud to have covered more than 10,500km and raised over £2,200. Thank you to everyone who took part, donated and cheered us on along the way.” (Proof Drinks Employee Council)
Lasting Impact
We are very grateful to Rachel for her remarkable dedication, and we thank her for her generosity and support during such an incredibly difficult time for her and her family.
The fund will make a lasting difference to cardiac care in Sussex – and will be a meaningful and enduring legacy in James’s memory.
