GEMMA AND MATTHEW

SIR IAN BOTHAM'S

LEUKAEMIA RESEARCH CHARITY WALK 2008

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 PLEASE VISIT THE PHOTO GALLERY PAGE OF THIS SITE - OR CLICK ON THE LOGO ABOVE - TO SEE A SELECTION OF PHOTO'S FROM THIS FANTASTIC EVENT

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Charity fundraiser & LRF president, Sir Ian Botham, took upon another challange in October when he walked around 9 towns in his latest efforts for the charity which is close to his heart.

Beefy started in Taunton on October 10th, then going to selected towns before ending where his final cricketing days took place.

Day 1 Taunton

Day 2 Windsor

Day 3 Tunbridge Wells

Day 4 Bury St Edmunds

Day 5 Stratford Upon Avon

Day 6 Llandudno

Day 7 Harrogate

Day 8 Milnagavie   

Day 9 Durham

Quite a gruelling schedule for Botham, but this was a walk with a difference. Mainly as the public was invited to also walk with the great man. But the walkers had to obtaim a mimimum sponsor amount of £250.

Duncan was fortunate to have been accepted to have walked in Windsor along with family friend Tom Gorry.

L-R Ladbokes Director Dominic Matthews, Sir Ian Botham, Ladbrokes PR man Robin Hutchinson together with Duncan Holland.

The sponsorship for the Windsor day was Ladbrokes, who were only too glad to support the charity and also recognised Duncan's efforts since 1998 when it all commenced. Amongst the 250 walking were Ladbrokes Dominic Matthews & Robin Hutchinson.

The first part saw selected walkers walk through the Windsor town, past the Castle, out around Eton and Bracknell into the Great Park. This is where they was followed by the 250 people who registered to be part of the day.

The walk was around 17 miles in total, but caused a lot of pain to many due to the heat and fitness, it was all worth it as they all walked for a reason....someone lost, someone suffering now or someone who had beaten the disease.

Many stories can be told, but memories will always remain of this day with many individuals that Duncan & Tom met.

 Duncan for the walk alone raised £830 and would like to thank everybody who sponsored him.

 Finally it has been announced that Sir Ian will celebrate 25 years fundraising with LRF with another walk in 2010. Hope that the public will be allowed to participate once again.

 Thank you Beefy for letting us be part of a very special day.

CLICK HERE TO SEE SOME OF THE PHOTO'S FROM THE WINDSOR LEG OF THIS WALK.

We started from outside Marks & Spencer at 11am at a furious pace. We left the town via Windsor Castle, around the outskirts to Eton then Bracknell before finishing the first part of the course. The bulk of the walkers then joined the great man in the Green Park for the final 7 miles around the picturesquesetting of this famous location.

The walk and the memories were an experience i will never forget. As we left the park we met many people, all with their own stories and experiences. The first were a couple who walked in the hope that a young girl called Lucy could beat the disease. One of many many people with similar stories.

My friend Tom who walked with me tried to keep up with Botham, his close friends and celebrities who attended (rugby players Kenny Logan, TV presenter Gaby Logan and newsreader Mark Austin). He would have done as he is a keen walker, but seeing that l was struggling stay with me to get me through to the end.

For me, on the way i met a gentleman who i thought was struggling. Tom and i kept him refreshed with water but half way round found that the man, a Bracknell policeman Martin Bell, had lost a leg in accident a year ago and was walking in memory of his father who had lost his battle with leukaemia. Martin walked a further 6 miles despite the suffering. The road and heat took its toll and we struggled but thinking of what i was doing it for spurred me on to the park walk.

The scenery was breathtaking as we joined the majority of the walkers for the walk in the park. Many stories could be told incluing meeting "Sweeper" who walked for a young lad Mark who lost his battle. We then met a lady who was pushing a buggy with a young girl who had leukaemia aged just 3. Then there was a local lad from Bracknell who works for the local LRF branch who beat the disease. He actually walked the first part and worked as a volunteer in the park. We then met a family from Southampton who were walking for a friend whose lad was diagnosed aged 9.

The pain the Tom and i felt due to the heat and aching limbs quickly went after hearing these stories and seeing the mass floods of white LRF tee shirts doing their bit for the charity.

As we approached the final stretch towards the Castle my final memory was that i needed to stop due to blisters where 2 ladies stopped and helped providing a plaster. We got talking and it turned out that in 2000 she basically had days to live if the drugs were not administered.

We met up with Sweeper again and the ladies. Tom ans i finished the line all together as a token of our effort and unity in the Leukaemia Research Fund Charity. We met many people who, and after our own loss, were in the same battling team with Beefy to get the result we all desire.....to find a cure to beat this disease (Stats now show we are up to an 80% cure rate, up from 25% in 1975).

For me personally, i raised around £850, taking my actual total raised for the charity to £95,250 since 1998.

Sir Ian Botham will be celebrating 25 years of fundraisingby doing it all again in 2010 !!

Finally, i would like to say a big thanks to everyone who has supported us in this.

Duncan, Julie & Dean

In memory of Gemma and Matthew.