2025 was the year that Love Hope Strength co-founder and president - and lead singer of The Alarm - Mike Peters became “totally free.”
The death of Mike, on April 29 2025 aged 66, was marked by a hauntingly beautiful song, Totally Free, penned and sung by Mike himself. The raw track was shared by The Alarm on social media when announcing his death, with Mike singing: "It is a broken empty space to come back from," "there is no path to follow," "I'm free, I'm really free," "totally free."
Born in Prestatyn before living in Dyserth, the remarkable singer and campaigner shared in the song that he was “not afraid to die.”
Mike is survived by his wife Jules and sons Dylan and Evan.
2025 saw an outpouring of grief, sympathy, and remembrance from fans, friends, and the wider community.
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Reflecting on the past year and what the future holds for the foundation, the Love Hope Strength Board and Trustees said: "This was the year that Love Hope Strength co-founder and President, Mike Peters, became ‘totally free’. A year which has seen an outpouring of grief, sympathy and remembrance combined with positivity, appreciation and a renewed determination to do even more to support others affected by cancer.
"During his lifetime, Mike’s resilience in the face of cancer fortified the lives of others living in challenging, uncertain circumstances. Following his death, the resilience demonstrated by his family, friends and fans has provided comfort for others experiencing loss and hardship. 2025 has certainly proven that Mike’s indomitable spirit will live on through the three things he was most passionate about and most proud of: his family; his music and the Love Hope Strength Foundation."
Looking to the future, the statement outlined changes for Love Hope Strength in 2026:
- Jules Peters will step into the role of President - an honorary role that Mike revelled in holding
- Dylan has joined the Love Hope Strength Trustee Board. Alongside his brother Evan, who has spent the past eight months writing music and sharing his own talent that he inherited from his father, will participate in El Camino Rocks with Dylan, the LHS trek scheduled for April 2026.
The statement thanked the "many voices" across the music industry who had expressed their "love and respect for Mike" - by both giving to Love Hope Strength and shining a light on what Mike achieved.
It continued: "Thank you to the thousands of fans, musicians and others who have sent messages, organised your own tributes, fundraisers and activities to celebrate Mike’s life,
"Please know your unparalleled kindness and generosity in 2025 was hugely appreciated."
More than $100,000 [about £74,000] was raised in memory of Mike in 2025.
"We’d like to especially thank longstanding partners the Union for International Cancer Control, DKMS, Tumaini La Maisha, and HAAM," the statement said.
The board also recognised three individuals; all three helped to register more people on the stem cell donor registry as part of Mike’s 'One in a Million' campaign.
- Rob and Tina Rushing of Punk Rocks Saves Lives (PRSL), who registered more than 10,000 people to the stem cell donor registry
- Dave Hotson, who partnered with DKMS to raise awareness of stem cell donation
2026 marks 20 years of the Love Hope Strength Foundation, established in November 2006 by Mike, Jules, and James Chippendale.
The Foundation has announced the following events for 2026:
- Thursday, January 15: Love Hope Strength Night curated by Chris Summerill, Cardiff
- Sunday, January 18: Love Hope Strength Solidarity Stroll, Cardiff
- Thursday, June 18 to Sunday 21: Red Rocks [hikes, music and more], Dyserth
- Registration opening soon for Nepal Rocks, 20 years on from Everest Rocks, planned for December 2027.
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