Duo walk 26 miles through the night for cancer charity

TWO care home workers from Reading set out in the night in their finest ‘Glitz and Glamour’ to complete a 26-mile walk in honour of residents with breast cancer.

Manager Sonia Da Silva and home coordinator Tamena Seymour from Aria Care’s Abbeycrest Care Home took part in The MoonWalk London, which is organised by the Walk the Walk breast cancer charity .

With the event this year celebrating its 25th anniversary, the pair embraced the theme, donning their finest outfits, including tiaras, to walk the 26.2 miles across Clapham Common.

Between them the pair raised a total of £1,534, smashing their original £400 target.

The ambitious pair previously completed the Windsor Memory Walk in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society last October and this was their new challenging venture.

Sonia said: “This year’s walk was very special because it was the 25th anniversary. The atmosphere was amazing, everyone seemed excited.

“We heard about people’s stories; some positive stories about how they won the battle against breast cancer and how the money raised is helping so many people.”

The pair had a great time as they took on the challenge with lots of energy, excitement and optimism.

Tamena added: “Walking through the streets of London during the night and passing by lit up landmarks such as Battersea Power Station, Big Ben, the London Eye, Tower Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park was incredible.

“It was brilliant seeing everyone dressed up and determined to achieve their goals. We had family and friends cheering for us at different points throughout the walk.”

It was definitely not an easy task, but the two friends supported each other to complete it successfully.

Sonia said: “I don’t think we realised just how hard it was going to be walking throughout the night with no sleep. I didn’t know it was possible, but I fell asleep while walking. Luckily, I was holding on to Tamena and didn’t fall.” the East End of London and moved to Dorset in the 1960s, living in Branksome, Poole, for more than 40 years. He ran a company, Ken Thorp Supplies Ltd, a wholesale supplier of catering equipment to trade customers such as pubs, clubs and restaurants.

The last two years of his life were spent at Colten Care’s Canford Chase care home in Branksome.

As well as Diverse Abilities, gifts from Ken’s estate have been made to children’s charities and community causes including the neonatal unit at Royal Bournemouth Hospital, the disability sailing charity Poole Sailability and Great Ormond Street Hospital.

A Bury St Edmunds care home has celebrated its ninth anniversary with some special guests. The team at Care UK’s Mildenhall Lodge pulled out all the stops for a special birthday celebration, nine years after it welcomed its very first residents. The home was decorated with banners and balloons, and there was live music from popular local duo Caprice, who sang a range of songs from 1960s classics to modern favourites. Guests were also treated to a delicious assortment of party food and a glass of fizz, along with a specially made cake to mark the occasion. Home manager Deepa Reju said: “It’s been a wonderful nine years. We’ve welcomed some real characters to the home, built fantastic relationships with our neighbours and the wider community and made some long-lasting memories along the way.”