A fundraising canal walk that is being held in memory of the Welshpool woman that first created it will take place next month.
‘Walking for Tease’ will be held on September 22, and will be looking to build on the thousands of pounds that have been raised by previous editions for Hope House.
It is held in memory of Teresa Thomas, the Hope House mum who organised the first walk in 2016. Teresa and husband Dylan’s daughter Kiera (or Kiki, as she likes to be known) has been visiting Hope House since she was a baby. She was born with a condition called Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum, which affects her mobility and her ability to talk, meaning she needs 24/7 care.
Kiki’s visits to Hope House give her the chance to have fun with other children, playing, painting and making music. The visits also gave Teresa and Dylan a chance to rest and recharge their batteries.
Like many Hope House families, the Thomas’ were determined to ‘give something back’ and so in 2016 Teresa threw herself into organising the first ever Hope House Welshpool Canal Walk, inviting friends, family and the people of Welshpool to join her in an eight-mile sponsored walk along the canal to raise funds to keep Hope House’s vital services running.
Sadly, Teresa (pictured) died suddenly in 2017 from a heart attack, aged just 42. The Welshpool Canal Walk that year was held in her memory and renamed “Walk for Tease”, as Teresa was affectionately known.
The money raised over the last three walks has made a huge difference for families just like Dylan and Kiki, providing services such as bereavement counselling, days out for siblings and essential respite care.
Dylan and Kiki (pictured above) are hoping that lots of people will turn out again this September to walk in Teresa’s footsteps and make a difference for the children and families of Hope House, just as Teresa did.
The eight-mile walk is free to enter. It starts at 10am with registration opening at 9.30am. It starts from the Hope House Shop in Welshpool and continues four miles along the canal towpath to The Horseshoes Inn in Berriew and back again.
To join Dylan and Hope House at the Welshpool Canal Walk, you can sign up by visiting https://www.hopehouse.org.uk/Event/welshpoolwalk.