Helen Jones has lived in Willersey, and more recently Broadway, for nearly 30 years.

In 2004 Helen walked the 177 -mile Offa's Dyke Path, raising £2000 for Cancer Research.

 In Spring 2019  Helen will walk, in a three-week period, 84 miles - one mile for each year of her age  - as it will  then be, in  the beautiful countryside surrounding Broadway, in memory of her late husband John, who suffered from dementia before his death.

The walk will aim to raise  £2000 for the charity Mind, which provides help and guidance for those with mental health problems, and support for their families. 

  Helen says "every year one in four young people in the UK experience a mental health issue. The money raised by my walk will help Mind to improve the lives of many people. At my age the walks will be a tough but thrilling challenge".

With the help of friends to organise the event and to act as Walk Leaders Helen will do seventeen five-mile walks in twenty-one days.     

Helen would like up to ten Walking Companions to join her on each walk, making a maximum of twelve walkers (including herself and the Walk Leader). Walks will be circular, starting and finishing within a short drive from Broadway. The Start/Finish may be at a Public House and walkers may wish to stay for an optional lunch after the walk.

If you would like to support Helen and her team by making a donation to Mind  please follow the simple DONATE instructions on this page. 

Making a donation is very simple, and if you are a UK taxpayer Mind will benefit from recovery of GIFT AID, the tax on your donation, increasing the value by 25%. 

Sponsorship and Walking Companion Registration Forms are available by email from Sharon Thackeray (thackeray9@btinternet.com) or telephone 01386 858973, or from Alan Andrews alan.andrews738@gmail.com).

 You can follow how the event is progressing and the funds being raised by  visiting Helen's Walk for Mind  page at www.justgiving.com

UPDATE 4th June 2019

Helen successfully completed the seventeen walks ina period of 21days. The target was 84 miles, but Helen actually walked nearer 90 miles due to one or two unplanned diversions! The last walk was on 17th March.

All walks were led by an experienced Walk Leader and Helen was accompanied by  a hand full of Walking Companions which added interest and encouragement. All walks were within about 15 miles of Broadway, Worcestershire, in the beautiful North Cotswold countryside. On the whole the weather was kind but one walk finished in heavy rain and all the walkers on that walk were glad of a hot drink and meal at the finish.

Several of the walks started and finished at public houses which added to the enjoyment of the walk.

We were astonished at the level of support from businesses, individuals and service organisations. All gave most generously. The largest donation was £1289 from visitors to Adam Henson's Cotswold Farm Park over the Easter Period. Adam Henson presented a cheque for this amount to Helen at a lunch given by The Farm Park to those who had organised and led the walks. 

Broadway businesses donated sums from £50 up to £100. local Rotary Clubs gave £200 and £84. The Isborne Foundation gave another £200. Individual donations in the form of cheques and cash were incredibly generous.

All donations received have been passed to 'Mind'

The Total funds passed to mind has exceed £6500!

When Gift Aid has been recovered the total should exceed £7000.

Helen Jones and all those involved in the organisation of this event offer a heartfelt THANK YOU to all the sponsors and everybody who made it such a success.

This page will now be closed but if you would like to make a donation to 'Mind' you can via their website.

Please quote 'Mind Number 9111447 - Helen's Walk for Mind'