CONWY’s Ty Gobaith children’s hospice is set to benefit from a long hike by a Llanfairfechan man.

Ian Roberts, aged 34, plans to walk the length of the River Thames from its source near Cirencester in Gloucestershire to the Thames Barrier in East London, in September. He is a support worker for people with learning disabilities in a Llandudno day centre.

He said: “I started fundraising for Ty Gobaith a couple of years ago. My partner at the time and myself decided we wanted to do a walk for charity. She was doing a university placement in Wrexham Maelor hospital and worked closely with a young girl called Lilly who was being supported by Hope House. Lilly never left hospital and sadly passed away when she was only two.” Hope House, is Ty Gobaith’s sister hospice in Oswestry.

Ian added: “We were so touched by the support Hope House were able to provide her with we decided that's who we wanted to fundraise for. Last March we walked from Cardiff to Conwy, via Oswestry to visit Hope House, raising £1,000 in doing so. Having visited Ty Gobaith a number of times in the build up to the walk last year I was able to see first hand the fantastic work they do and the support they provide to not only to the children they support but their families as well.

“I didn't want that to be a one off and wanted to continue fundraising for them by doing something similar this year. Having walked the length of a country I thought a river would be another challenge, and with the Thames being one of the most iconic rivers in the world that was the obvious choice for me.”

“I've set up a just giving page at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ian-roberts84 and hope to raise as close to £1,000 again for them to continue to offer the best support they can to children and their families.