Walking on sunshine!
One of our Autism Ambassadors has set himself a mighty task for Autism Awareness Week. Alex Rowley is aiming to walk 90 miles in three days to raise money for Sycamore Trust and our #StepUpforSycamore campaign.
It's Autism Awareness Week in a fortnight and we've been encouraging local people to get sponsorship for their regular walking, to the shops, to school, or even just around the garden. But that was nowhere hear challenging enough for Alex Rowley, one of the Sycamore Trust Autism Ambassadors.
Alex has set himself the target of completing the Hadrian’s Wall Virtual Challenge, which takes you 90 miles (145 km) along the historic Hadrian’s Wall path across the north of England. Alex will be walking with his father Tony, who has accompanies Alex on previous walks, but this is the first one where they are aiming to raise money for the Sycamore Trust.
Alex explained; "Sycamore Trust U.K. has been there for me since 1998, providing my travel training when I started secondary school, giving me my first job when I was 18, even being responsible for me meeting my fiancée! They have been a huge part of overcoming my barriers as an autistic person, which is why I chose the Hadrian's Wall challenge, as a 90-mile-long literal representation of that."
For several years, Alex has been an integral part of the Sycamore Trust Autism Ambassadors, who have veen delivering Autism Awareness presentations to the community. The AA presentations also recently achieved CPD status, making them more attractive to the business community.
For the Hadrain's Wall virtual challenge, Alex will be walking with his father Tony, but it's not the first time they have been on a long distance walk together. Alex said; "We have been doing long-distance walking together since I was 8 years old, when we completed the 16-mile Holcott Hobble together, and from 16 completing international walks together such as the 128-mile Nijmegen Vierdaagse marches. Across these walks, we've built up a father-son bond that no other activity could have achieved. Until now, it felt disingenuous to try raising money on these walks, because I would have done them regardless. But this one, on Autism Awareness Week, is just for Sycamore!"
We're delighted that Alex and Tony have decided to #StepUpforSycamore and we hope they get decent weather at the end of the month! If you'd like to know more, or if you'd like to sponsor them with any amount, large or small, go to; https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AlexRowley3
