Andrew, who is supported at Dean Grange, joined the Royal Forest of Dean Freemasons on their charity bed push as they walked from Gloucester Royal Hospital to Newnham on Severn in aid of Cure Parkinson’s and Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Dean Grange supports people with learning disabilities, autism, complex needs and behaviours that may challenge. The service encourages and enables residents to lead full and happy lives, supporting them to have more choice and control while ensuring care is person-centred and meaningful to each individual.
Andrew’s fundraising effort formed part of a wider campaign which has so far raised an impressive £5,700, with more sponsorship money still being collected. Andrew himself raised £75 towards the total.
The sponsored walk took place on one of the hottest days of the year so far, with Andrew and his supporters taking regular breaks along the route to stay hydrated and cool. Along the way, members of the public showed their encouragement by beeping their car horns and cheering the group on.
There was even an unexpected challenge during the walk when the bed being used as part of the fundraising effort broke down and had to be replaced before the journey could continue.
Speaking about the experience, Andrew said: “It was a very hot day and we had lots of breaks on the way. Lots of people beeped their horns at us. The bed broke down on the way and we had to have a new bed!”
Fran Holland, Manager at Dean Grange, praised Andrew’s determination and commitment to supporting good causes.
She said: “We are all incredibly proud of Andrew for completing this fantastic challenge. It was a long and difficult walk, especially in the heat, but he showed great determination throughout. It was wonderful to see the support he received from the local community along the way, and the amount raised for two very important causes is amazing.”
