Aimee’s charity tribute to Arena ‘angels’
A SURVIVOR of the Manchester Arena bombing has been raising money by walking 22 miles in memory of the 22 angels that passed away in the attack.
Aimee Lea Hodgkiss, who has cerebral palsy, will be completing the challenge in her wheelchair around her local area in Offerton.
As a survivor of the attack in 2017, Aimee, 22, is raising money for two charities that have helped her in the aftermath Stockport Healthy Young Minds and The Manchester Resilience Hub.
Aimee, who lives in Offerton with her parents Richard and Yolande, sister Brooke and dog Cole, started the challenge four weeks ago and has already completed 14.9 miles.
She said: “I started it because I am a victim of the Manchester bombing and I wanted to give something back and loads of my friends were doing it so I thought I’d join.
“I’ve been doing it in my wheelchair and I have had lots of people helping me along the way which has been amazing but very emotional at the same time. Everyone’s support has been absolutely amazing.”
Aimee has completed most of the miles in Woodbank Park with the help of her carer Nikita and has currently raised £1,286 which has smashed her original target of £200.
She said she also tries to livestream her walks on Facebook or Instagram.
“I’m just trying to get as many walks in as possible,” she said.
“It’s a bit more difficult at the minute getting out because of lockdown, it’s just a bit of fresh air as well instead of being locked up in my house.
“I have done a few walks at Woodbank Park and in my local area. I try to go live every time I do it so I can prove that I’m actually doing the walk.”
Aimee said she chose the charities as they had helped her with therapy and support in the aftermath of the tragedy.
She said: “I just wanted to give something back and turn the angels’ negative into a positive.”
She added the support she has received has been beyond her wildest dreams.
“I never thought I’d get that much, It just kept going up and up,” she said.
“I originally put it to £200 and we smashed that so I put it up to £400 thinking we wouldn’t get it and it just kept going - I couldn’t believe it. People I didn’t even know have donated to these wonderful charities. I just couldn’t believe the generosity of people.”
Aimee’s justgiving page can be found at https:// www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/ aimeehodgkiss?utm_ source=facebook.