Fundraising with the family

A family spending lockdown together have been making the most of their time by taking on a range of physical challenges as part of the national 2.6 campaign.

Ali Dalton, his children Jack, 8 and Ava, 6 and their extended family decided to support St Oswald’s to say thank you for the support the our bereavement support team have offered after Louise, Ali’s wife and the children’s mum, sadly died last year. Jack and Ava have been seeing Beth, our children’s bereavement lead, for support and she has continued to be there for the family via telephone as face to face sessions have been put on hold.

Ali tells us:

Beth and her team have really supported Jack and Ava as they find their way through this tough time. The support gives them the opportunity to talk about their mum and their feelings around what’s happened in a safe environment away from home and open up with someone completely removed from the situation but who understands what they are going through. Beth has also helped me understand some of the feelings and actions they are likely to be experiencing which has helped me support them as best I can.

 

Even during lockdown, Beth has carried on supporting the kids by sending activities for them to do and staying in touch by phone and text. We decided to get involved in the 2.6 challenge to give us all something fun to do and concentrate on during this crazy time in lockdown whist also supporting St Oswald’s… a win win situation!

When the travel restrictions around Covid-19 began, Ali and the kids were already with his in-laws at their home on Ullswater in the Lake District, along with his sister and brother-in-law. With so many members of the family together in one place, they had the perfect opportunity to all get involved with their own 2.6 challenges. The beauty of the 2.6 challenge is that everyone can join in with whatever activity they want, so long as it involved the number 2.6 or 26 and complies with social distancing regulations. Ali and his family chose their own challenges and supported each other to complete them:

• Jack ran 2.6miles with Ali, his Dad
• Ava completed a 26 minute long Danceathon supported by Auntie Julie
• Auntie Julie ran up and down the driveway 26 times – a very steep 2.6miles – with Uncle Phil
• Grandma Val and Grandad Phil took on a 2.6hr walk, which turned out to be a 10mile, 4 hour mountaineering expedition (much to Grandma Val was not best pleased!).
• Ali and Uncle Phil took on a workout involving 4 different 26 rep exercises as many times as possible in 26 minutes this Saturday, alongside lots of friends over Zoom.  
• Even Grandma Sue got involved with a 2 hour walk back home in Middlesbrough

The family set up a fundraising page and asked their loved ones to support their challenge in aid of St Oswald’s.

Ali finished:

The challenges completed so far have all been amazing (unless you ask Grandma Val!). Jack and Ava have loved getting involved and attacked their challenges with their usual enthusiasm. Taking part really boosted everyone’s mood, especially when thinking of the celebratory drinks at the end!

 

Our fundraising has gone so well! Friends and family have really got behind us and we have so far raised over £900 via our Just Giving page.

 

Some of our friends, the Duncan family, who live in Vietnam have also got involved. Isla, 4 and and Ayrton, 2, have done their own challenge already and the family will be joining us for our last workout challenge on Friday via Zoom! They have already raised over £300 for the hospice too, which is wonderful.

We would like to say a huge thank you to Ali, Jack, Ava and their wonderful family for getting involved in the 2.6 challenge for St Oswald’s.

If you are inspired by them and would like to give it a go either with your family, friends or by yourself, to find out more and download a guide to getting started go to www.stoswaldsuk.org/2-6-challenge.