The Walking for Amelie appeal reached a major milestone this week as Tara and Matt, who’s daughter Amelie died this summer just four months after being diagnosed with brain cancer— reached their home county of Gloucestershire.
Tara, Matt, their younger daughter Sophia and dog Orla are walking in relay from John O’Groats to Land’s End – inspired by Amelie’s love of adventure.
Amelie was an outstanding athlete who was a champion rower and keen footballer, who was just 15 when she died in July.
Now her family are aiming to walk more than 1,200 miles to raise vital funds for a brain cancer charity and a children’s hospice charity. Their journey has now surpassed 900 miles and raised over £20,000, so far for Acorns’ Children’s Hospice and Abbie’s Army – a family-led UK charity which funds innovative medical research to find a cure for Diffuse Midline Glioma (DMG).
This weekend, Tara and Sophia were joined by five of Amelie’s school friends from Sir William Romney School, who completed around 20 miles of the route walking from the foot of the Malverns to Upton St Leonards. The group walked through the rain, inspired by Amelie and her bravery.
Their route included a stop at Gloucester Cathedral, where they lit a candle in Amelie’s memory.
“We’re so grateful for all the support we’ve had from the community,” said Tara. “It was lovely to walk with Amelie’s friends. They kept smiling through the rain, and we sheltered for lunch in a barn on our route and it was beautiful to be able to pause on our route at the cathedral.
“It feels special to have reached Gloucestershire, having covered so many miles and different landscapes all the way from the tip of Scotland. We’ve been inspired by Amelie all the way, who always rose to a challenge with so much determination and bravery. And of course we’re also inspired by the work of the charities; raising funds for desperately needed research into devastating brain cancers, and supporting a children’s hospice.”
The walk now continues as Tara and Matt head further through Gloucestershire, not far from their hometown of Nailsworth, following the Cotswold Way to Bath Abbey.
Today, Friday they’ll be joined by a larger group of school friends from Sir William Romney’s School as well as two teachers, to walk 10 miles along the Cotswold Way, starting in Dursley.
The Walking for Amelie campaign is ongoing, and supporters can follow their progress and donate here: https://www.givewheel.com/fundraising/9978/walking-for-amelie/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMsCmlleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFDTEdGNWw0Mkh4aEZXeWhWAR7Ygdwn9VWFUWSx860-TVYPUI0IMx0yBOoBmft3iWtwL0C0FwSC-_X8lrS5Uw_aem_4bz99V0Pa8Q9p7GpDKdYzg
