Children able to take part for first time
CHILDREN had the chance to join in the Saffery Rotary walk as official participants for the first time this year, with the introduction of the Families Walking Together section.
This allowed families to join in from the checkpoints at either Chouet or Bordeaux, the final checkpoint just more than three miles from the finish.
Taking on the challenge of starting at Chouet, the Jefferies family had come prepared.
‘We did the two sections independently to practice,’ said dad Mark.
Twins Albert and Sally were just six, he said.
‘It’s quite a long way for them to go, so we thought we’d better practice’.
To make sure the children were handling the challenge, Mr Jefferies occasionally asked them how they felt their energy levels were.
‘Ten out of ten,’ said Sally.
Starting off at Bordeaux were the Abbotts, with four-year-old Leo probably the day’s youngest walker.
Dad Laurence was no stranger to the walk, having done it about four times before, while mum Kate said it was something she had always wanted to try.
‘Chouet would have been slightly too far for the children,’ she said.
They, too, had done a bit of work beforehand.
‘We went to cliffs and to Bluebell Woods,’ said India, 7.
While India was going to walk with mum, Leo was going to stick with his dad for the walk to Town.
Bordeaux also saw the Guernsey Disability Alliance joining in the walk, something it has done for several years from the same point.
‘The walk has always been really supportive of all of our charities,’ said the GDA’s Karen Blanchford, who said that many organisations were represented by those taking part.
‘We’ve done it I think five or six times because we’re beneficiaries as well. It grows each year.’
