RAIN poured and no-one cared. Soaking conditions couldn’t dampen the spirits of anyone who took part in the inaugural MFC Foundation Memory Walk on Sunday.
Started by Boro legend Alan Peacock, men, women, children and dogs made the event a success. Spirits before, during and after were stoically Teesside.
Sponsored by the Wilton branch of SABIC, the event offered the people of Teesside and beyond the chance to walk for someone special in their lives.
Funds were raised for the Foundation’s work with those living with dementia, and scores of other charities close to the hearts of those who walked, undaunted by the inclement conditions, smiling and vowing that they would do it all again.
Volunteers from other organisations helped, CIC and Relph Funeral Directors joined forces with Foundation staff along the route which began and ended at the Riverside and took in the iconic Transporter Bridge along the way.
Maxi’s Mates, a dog rehoming centre in Guisborough, CIC (with a stand as well as volunteers) and Prostate Cancer UK kindly supported the event and mixed with everyone outside the stadium where beats from DJ Simon Carter enlivened everyone and BBC Tees presenter Gary Philipson spoke with participants about why they were walking. *
The answers were moving and simple, they were walking in memory of mums and dads, granddads and grandmas, aunties, uncles, friends and loved ones.
If you walked in memory of someone, were a volunteer, a marshal one of the team of organisers, you did yourselves and MFC Foundation proud.
Thank you.
*To listen to Gary’s feature, follow this link, select the broadcast from Monday July 24th and forward to 11:19 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p04fhjmw
