Tom Winnifrith: This is my last walk for Woodlarks and the last time I shall ask all Shareprophets readers to donate a tenner – PLEASE ADD TODAY to the £16,000 now raised
By Tom Winnifrith | Monday 12 June 2023
We have three new volunteers for June 17th and the 34 mile walk from Winchester Cathedral to the amazing Woodlarks camp in Surrey so 12 of us will be there on the day and we have now raised more than £16,000. I shall set off at 4.15 AM and aim to arrive by 8 PM having spent 16 hours at the back with my great friend Jonathan being lectured by him, for the whole walk, on why I was so wrong, stupid and Xenophobic to vote for Brexit. Think of my suffering but read on to find out what a great cause this is and consider why each of you yet to donate should give a tenner today HERE.Woodlarks is a great cause. It has no fat cat officers as you would see at disgraced Oxfam and the other big charities. But a team of volunteers provide a really unique, and I do mean unique, holiday facility for severely handicapped folks and their carers.
I have been involved with this cause for two decades since the very premature birth of my daughter Olaf at 1lb 4 oz when we were warned that there was a good chance that she might get cerebral palsy, something that many Woodlarks campers suffer from. An amazing chap, Nick Richards, contacted me at the time and that is where it all started. Olaf is fine and will graduate from Oxford this year. Her last exam is tomorrow, wish her luck.
Those of you who have followed me for years will remember how we helped one such lad from the wrong side of the river in East London, Jamie. He passed away more than ten years ago but the generosity of so many of you transformed his, tragically short, life.
There are other Jamie’s we’d like to help Woodlarks to help and so one last time I ask each of you to consider donating even just a tenner so we can all make a real difference. You can donate HERE.
For various reasons myself and Lucian Miers will be calling it a day on the Woodlarks walk after this year. This will be my sixth walk, Lucian’s fifth, the fourth for Andrew Bell (maybe he will complete the walk this time) and for my pal Jonathan the Euroloon and young Steve Moore.
So after Saturday 17 June I will not be begging you to donate just a tenner, something I am sure you can all afford. With gift aid and a couple of pledges we have now raised more than £16,000 but for Woodlarks every penny really does help it bring much needed joy and happiness to folks facing very challenging lives. So, in what is a last hurrah, I really want to raise a lot more.