Issue 441 – Musicians’ long trek for charity

FOUR Westbury musicians are to walk 117 miles to raise money for Bath’s Royal United Hospital.
On August 21st, Leander Morales, Lee Walford, Andrew Hill and Al O’Kane will be embarking on a mission to perform a “short tour” for Bath’s neo-natal intensive care unit.
Eschewing the standard beat-up transit van for the soles of their own blister- bound feet, the group will be walking to each of the seven venues covering 117 miles in just seven days.
Their journey will begin in Westbury and will end at London’s Trafalgar Square on August 28th.
Leander’s daughter Alana was born at the RUH nearly 10 weeks premature back in 2004. She spent the first seven weeks of her life in Bath’s NICU.
Leander said, “I’m doing this as I would like to contribute to the Space to Grow campaign. My daughter spent the first seven weeks of her life in the unit. I feel the least I can do is donate my time to help raise vital funds to build the new NICU in Bath. I’m honoured that my friends should join me on this particular tour, as it will be challenging!”
The intrepid troubadours hope to raise a total of £5,000. Their fundraising effort was kicked off by Westbury Lions who donated a cheque for £200.
Bath NICU covers a wide area including Wiltshire and Bath & North East Somerset. The 4.5 million pound campaign was given a boost lately when it was announced that they now need 1.5 million to fully fund the first fully sustainable NICU in the UK. Plans to cut the first piece of turf are underway for this autumn.
Leander has received support from various organisations and been given many items to auction or raffle off including: two Endorse-It In-Dorset Festival tickets; a Hammer Dulcimer; signed singles from Jamie Cullum and Jason Mraz; Glastonbury Extravaganza tickets; five signed Judie Tzuke albums; two 1st class First Great Western train tickets, plus huge support from Dickies clothing; Royal Mail and locally, Westbury Lions and Heron Press.
Leander said, “The pre-planning has been a challenge in itself but I’m grateful for the support received and just hope local people will back us to help fund the new NICU at Bath RUH, especially as it serves the town of Westbury among many others.”
So far Leander has raised over £700 for the campaign and hopes people will sponsor online.
There is also a sponsor form at The Ham Post Office and at the Lions book shop on Warminster Road.
“I’d love to raise £5,000 but I’ll be glad to just raise the profile of the campaign in the hope that there will be an increased level of support throughout our local community,” said Leander.
Raffle tickets are available from the various music venues en route. For updated information and to donate online visit: www.justgiving.com/sunshinewalk
Pictured: Westbury Lions representative, Roy Inwood, hands over £200 to kick-start the campaign.