Ryan’s Ramblers aim to raise thousands for children’s hospices

Ryan's Ramblers charity walkers in Bradley Stoke, Bristol

A group of Bradley Stoke residents and some of their friends are in training for a 142-mile sponsored walk that they hope will raise thousands of pounds for a local children’s charity.

“Ryan’s Ramblers”, headed by Steve Tovey of Huckley Way, are aiming to raise over £6,000 for Children’s Hospice South West, which supports children and their families who are living with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.

Steve’s son Ryan was was diagnosed with leukaemia in October 2007 and, despite intensive chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, the 7-year-old passed away at the charity’s Charlton Farm Hospice in Wraxall, North Somerset, in August 2009.

Steve Tovey of Bradley Stoke, Bristol

Writing on the Virgin Money fundraising page that he has set up for the sponsored walk, Steve says:

“The hospice is an amazing place, making as much of Ryan’s life as possible right up to the end. They supported us as a family and still continue to do so. Without the support of the hospice I can only imagine how different our lives would be. I want to raise money for Children’s Hospice South West so that more families can benefit from their care and support in the future.”

The walkers will begin their journey from Charlton Farm Hospice on Friday 20th April and they hope to reach another of the charity’s hospices, Little Harbour, in St Austell, Cornwall, five days later on Tuesday 24th April.

A core group of 15 walkers is intending to complete the whole route and they will be joined by others along the way who wish to take part for just a single day.

Rest stops already planned by the group are said to include an overnight stay in a pub’s skittle alley!

Ryan’s short life was recently commemorated by the construction of a unique “butterfly hive” by his former classmates at Baileys Court Primary School in Bradley Stoke.

Photo: Seven of Ryan’s Ramblers pictured at the ‘duck pond’ in the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve, Bradley Stoke. L-R: Mark Haagensen, Dave Norris, Julie Clayton, Shay Norris, Steve Tovey, Sue Norris and Nigel Brown.

More about the work of Children’s Hospice South West

At Children’s Hospice South West we help and support children and their families who are living with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions and we are the only organisation in the South West to provide vital hospice care in a hospice environment to these families.

Some families come to us for palliative care, some for emergency care and many for planned respite and a rare opportunity for a break away. But there’s more to it than that. We provide a loving and caring place for every member of the families who stay with us. A place where everyone can begin to forget their worries for a while, be a family again and find expert help and support in facing an uncertain future.

Our services are free to the families who need us because we believe that nothing should get in the way of very sick children receiving the very best care. So, with little government funding, we rely on the generosity of our supporters to deliver our promise to “make the most of short and precious lives’”.

Children’s Hospice South West has three purpose-built hospices in the South West; Little Bridge House in North Devon Charlton Farm in North Somerset and Little Harbour in St Austell, Cornwall.

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3 comments

  1. Hello, I saw you walking when I stayed in the Okehampton Youth Hostel. I would like to make a donation. How do I do this?

    Hope it went well and you are recovering!

    Joanna Clark

  2. Had a call from Steve Tovey to say that Ryan’s Ramblers raised a total of £18,733.18 for Children’s Hospice South West.

    48 individuals took part in one or more sections of the walk, with 15 completing the whole route.

    Steve would like to thank everyone that took part or sponsored a walker.

    Well done everyone!

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