Kids help raise £6,000 in Vicky Park fun run for hemiplegia charity

Kids as young as five joined the grown-ups for a fun run in east London’s Victoria Park to raise cash for children with hemiplegia.

There were no barriers to age or ability—some walked or toddled! Even dogs were joining in.

The 200 runners pulled in £6,000 between them for the HemiHelp charity—and there’s still money coming in from supporters.

Personal achievements included Hannah Gladwin, a 16-year-old with hemiplegia who managed to complete the 10k run for the first time and now looks forward to a 5k run next month.

It was also the first 10k run for Lisa Davies, mother of two-year old twins Lucas, who has hemiplegia, and Elinor. She doubled her original £400 target.

The twins were a little too young to run this year—but were happy to help by handing out water.

Hemiplegia affects one-in-a-thousand children—but most people have never heard of it, says the charity.

It is a condition similar to a stroke, caused by brain damage at or around birth which leads to loss of control on one side of the body and could also include epilepsy, visual impairment, learning difficulties, and emotional or behaviour problems.

The charity’s website explains more: www.hemihelp.org.uk.