Walk in the Park raises £1,000 for charity

AFGHANISTAN war veteran Tom Coleridge, aged 23, was among scores of people who completed Warrington Disability Partnership’s (WDP) ‘A Walk in the Park’  helping raise a combined total of £1,000 for charity.
The Chapelford resident cruised through two sunny laps of the Sankey Valley Park circuit – using a wheelchair with a handbike attachment – to clock up 10 kilometres.
“I’m absolutely shattered now, but what a great day!” said Tom – WDP’s Disability Information Officer. “I’ve been training hard on the handbike at the gym and I am so grateful to all my family and friends for their sponsorship, which is going to a great local charity that promotes independent living.”
Other participants included a team from ASDA Warrington – who were ‘Tickled Pink’ to raise more than £100 for their own charity which backs the Breast Cancer Campaign and Breast Cancer Care – and WDP’s founder and Chief Executive Officer Dave Thompson, MBE DL.
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to Janis Williams – our Team Leader of Community Engagement and Fundraising – and our wonderful team of volunteers, who together made this year’s ‘A Walk in the Park’ the success story it has been,” says Dave.
“We’re very grateful to the Birchwood Lions, who provided stewardship along the route; Wolves’ Community Foundation, who staffed their inflatable for the morning; Radio Warrington; and to our marketplace stallholders – Healthwatch Warrington, Change 4 Life, Warrington Sea Cadets, DEBRA, HALO, ASDA’s ‘Tickled Pink’, Pathways CRI (a health, social care and criminal justice charity) and Brass Monkeys.”
Dave also thanked Warrington Borough Council’s ‘Stronger Together’ team for a community grant which funded the medals and personalised certificates for each participant, and Evelyn Street School for the use of their playground.
Warrington Parents and Carers exhibited throughout the day and supplied all of the arts and crafts materials used in the children’s area.
“Most of all, a huge thank you to all the charities and individuals who took part in ‘A Walk in the Park’ and joined in the fun and games back at the Centre for Independent Living at Beaufort Street,” he added.
To see a video of ‘A Walk in the Park’ getting under way, visit www.facebook.com/disabilitypartnership and to see all the selfies and photos from the day, visit www.twitter.com/wdpcomms