A GROUP of friends from Westbury recently tackled 327 miles walking from AFC Bournemouth to Sunderland AFC to raise money for the Bradley Lowery Foundation, the six-year old Sunderland fan who died from a rare form of cancer.
Westbury men Mark Bosher, John Williams, Andy Baxter, Andy King, Richard Edwards and Billy MacEntaggert alongside three men from Sunderland and Newcastle – Colin Cruddace, Kenny Ashton and Graeme Robinson – faced 327-miles of cold winds and torrential rain from the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth to Sunderland’s Stadium of Light between the 7th and 16th March.
The walk was officially started by ex-England footballer, Jermain Defoe, on Tuesday 6th March to wish them luck on their walk. The Bournemouth and former Sunderland striker made friends with Bradley and supported him through his cancer treatment.
Mark Bosher, organiser and walker said, “The journey was tough and tiring on the feet and legs, but it was very enjoyable. There were some ‘hairy’ moments on busy roads, but there were also some very scenic routes, especially through Yorkshire.
“The weather wasn’t too bad but we did have at least two days of torrential rain and wind, which made the walking very tough.
“Arrival at the Stadium of Light was fantastic. We received an amazing reception with friends and families, and the football club hosted us all for hot drinks and snacks. The support was overwhelming and it was an emotional time.”
On arrival at The Stadium of Light, at half-time during their match against Preston, the walkers presented a cheque for £11,500 to the Bradley Lowery Foundation, including Bradley’s family. Money is still coming in from donations and fundraising events.
The walkers also took part in a crossbar challenge that saw Newcastle supporter and walker Kenny Ashton steal the show, hitting the crossbar, much to the fans’ disappointment at the colour of his shirt, celebrating in true Alan Shearer style.
“Support along the route was also amazing.” Mark continued. “Especially at our evening locations where the locals were very warm and welcoming and extremely generous. We had cars and lorries pulling over to offer donations as the local radio stations covered our walk through every county.
“Knowing that the support we had received and the funds raised was all in aid of the foundation kept us driving forward across every inch of tarmac. Nothing was going to stop us completing the challenge. Bradley’s legacy and those children and families that will benefit from our walk kept us going till the end.
“We cannot believe how much we have raised. It is way beyond our wildest dreams and to present this amount to the foundation is an honour and a privilege.
“The media coverage was greatly appreciated as it raised awareness of the foundation and helped us raise more money. Without the support from the press, we may not have reached such a fabulous amount of money.”
Along with local press reports, the walkers were featured on ITV News, Good Morning Britain, Sky sports, Sunderland FM, and BBC North.
The Bradley Lowery Foundation said, “We are so pleased the walkers completed their challenge and got back to Sunderland safe and sound, and even took the time to walk through Brad’s home village and popped into Blackhall Primary School where Brad went to school.
“The children were there to wave them on with blue flags. They have raised a fantastic amount of money, as well as so much awareness for childhood cancer. We are forever grateful to them, we can’t thank them enough.”
At the time of writing the group’s JustGiving page had reached £12,303, with donations still arriving. If you would like to support Mark and the rest of the team with their fundraising, please visit their JustGiving page on www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/mark-bosher-safc
PICTURE: Organiser Mark Bosher with Bournemouth Striker Jermain Defoe before the walk.
