Star walkers step out to collect £1,000 for charity
ADOWN’S Syndrome children’s group has raised more than £1,000 during a sponsored walk around Hollingworth Lake.
To mark the end of Down’s Syndrome Awareness Month, 28 members of the newly launched Rochdale DS All Stars walked, toddled or were pushed round the lake. It has so far raised at least £1,025 to help support the local Down’s syndrome community.
The walk was held not only to kick off fundraising efforts for the new group but also to help bring children and families together.
Claire Minett, chair of Rochdale DS All Stars, said: “For our first event, we really wanted to put the fun into fundraising and looking at the smiles of the children and their families as we walked, we certainly achieved that.
“We couldn’t be prouder of our members. Not only did they do brilliantly on the fundraising front but for some of our younger members, it was the furthest they’d ever walked so it was a massive personal achievement for them too.”
“It was also great to be able to introduce new families to one another and see them exchanging stories and experiences as they walked, while it also proved a fabulous opportunity for awareness raising too with fellow walkers stopping to offer us encouragement and find out a little bit more about Down’s syndrome.”
To further boost funds, and awareness, founders Lalain Meskyzadeh and Emma Lambert, both of whom have daughters with Down’s syndrome, also undertook a 21km hike on October 21. The walk, which took them through Healey Dell, round Cowm Reservoir and through to Bacup, saw them leave a pebble painted by individuals with Down’s syndrome at every kilometre of their journey.
For further information about the group, search Rochdale DS All Stars on Facebook and Instagram or to make a donation, visit gofund.me/d3c5c5a6.