Fleur de Lys sponsored walk in aid of the Rainbow Trust

On Sunday 8th September I completed my sponsored walk to support the Rainbow Trust to support local families. The Rainbow Trust support families with life limiting illnesses. Mya-Ela and her family are a family who have been supported locally by the Rainbow Trust. From being 2 weeks old Mya-Ela suffered health problems and had many trips to the doctors. When she was 3yrs old she was diagnosed with Burkitt Lymphoma, a rare form of cancer. She had emergency chemotherapy and an operation to remove a mass. She later needed further surgery and she is getting better and better as each month passes. She set herself the challenge to complete the junior and mini Great North Run this year and I decided to support her challenge with my efforts. 

 

A 13.2mile walk was planned locally as the equivalent distance of the Great North Run. The route took us from Newton Hall along the road towards ‘Blackie Boy’ roundabout and up Findon Hill to Sacriston. Two miles into the walk, at the top of Findon Hill, would normally have been a lovely view back across the fields and down where we had just come. At least the thick fog was not as cold, wet and windy as last years walk during storm Babet. 

 

It was not long before the fog gave way to showers, some heavier than others, but we resisted the temptation to stop at the various pubs along the way for shelter. We dropped down from Sacriston to the old A1 north/south Roman Road from London to Edinburgh now the A167 and we turned south. At Pity Me we cut across to Brasside, past Frankland prison and across the fields into Durham City. 

 

I raised £570 (plus £123.25 gift aid) and the Fleur de Lys Foundation donated a further £250 which is used in the North East to support local families. 

 

£720 pays for weekly bereavement support for 6mths, £300 pays for time to make a memory box with a family to help them grieve, £210 pays for a day’s visit from a family support worker, £60 could provide a sick child with a customised pack to use during virtual sessions, £30 pays for an hour’s practical and emotional support for a family caring for a seriously ill child, £15 could cover the cost of a day out for a sibling of a seriously ill child and much more.