Walkers raise £2,000 for HIV children

9:00am Friday 30th June 2006

WALKERS raised over £2,000 for medicines, education and a special feeding centre for deprived youngsters in South Africa.

The sponsored walk saw supporters of Elena Utton's One Life charity gathering at Richmond station in June to follow the Thames towpath to Kew.

Mrs Utton, of Alpha Road, Chingford, is the founder of the charity, which raises cash for youngsters in the HIV/AIDS-riven Kwa-Zulu Natal province of South Africa.

She said: "We had a wonderful day and the results have surpassed everything I had hoped for. I was aiming for £1,000 so to break the £2,000 mark is great.

"We had a good turn-out of 22 adults and four children and I would like to thank everyone for their efforts. It was a fun way to raise the cash and we have some other events planned for later in the year."

The charity works in a range of initiatives, including helping children orphaned through AIDS/HIV through education, providing much-needed medicines and building facilities at a feeding centre.

Mrs Utton has visited the region on several occasions to distribute funds and meet the people who benefit from the charity's work.

To sponsor a child or make a donation call 8926 2431.