Our supporters
(left to right) Alex Ross, David Robins, Caroline Cooter and Christine Robbins.
It's 1st May 2008 and 'day one' of David Robin's 346 mile sponsored mega-hike across the country. He is aiming to raise £75,000 for people living with aphasia.
David was given a send-off from Boston's 'Stump' by speech and language therapists and staff and service users from Boston's Pilgrim hospital. Mrs Fletcher, who now has aphasia after having a stroke in January, wished David well for his marathon effort.
Phyllis Campbell-McRae, Connect's chief executive joined the well-wishers who gathered by the church in warm spring sunshine. Phyllis thanked David for his generous support of Connect. 'we are immensely grateful for your generous support of our work and your part in helping to raise awareness of this much-misunderstood disability' she said. David hopes to reach Barnstaple in North Devon on 18th May when he will have walked a distance equivalent to over 13 marathons!
David,who is Chair of New Philanthropy Capital, has a personal reason for supporting Connect. Whilst he was on a ski-ing holiday with his friend Robert Thorling and their families, Robert had a severe stroke and now lives with aphasia. He was just 48 years old and at the peak of his career as a Chartered Surveyor in the City. Suddenly he had difficulty speaking and could no longer read, write or even understand what we said to him at times. He hadn't lost any of his extraordinary intellectual capacity – just the ability to communicate.
At Connect Robert discovered new ways to communicate and regained his confidence. By participating in activities with others with aphasia, Robert found the courage to go out on his own, began to explore new interests and learned to manage his disability. As Robert's wife Sara says 'Connect was the catalyst to us both getting back to life again'.
In 2006, David walked the South West Coastal Path for Connect, raising over £32,000. This year David is setting his goal even higher and hopes to raise £75,000. If you would like to make a donation, you can do this either by visiting his justgiving page www.justgiving.com/davidrobins, or if you would prefer to complete a sponsorship form, just let us know. Tel. 020 7367 0851 or email mariamcdonnell@ukconnect.org
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