Father and son complete 55-mile walk to help fund new therapy centre

A father and son's 55-mile walk has raised £1,900 for a support project's new therapy centre for young adults with mental challenges. 

Jon and Fred Alcock, from Woodbridge, completed the challenge last Sunday and were warmly welcomed at a family event organised by Fairview Farm, a non-profit organisation that provides daycare for young adults with disabilities and mental health issues.   

All the funds raised from the walk from Southwold to Ipswich, as well as those collected during the event, will be spent to build a new therapy building at the farm on the edge of Ipswich. 

Jon said: "'We are committed to raise the money for our new building this year and have now made an amazing start, which will set the tone for other events we do.

"We have raised £300 from a quiz night and Fairview has also been awarded £2,500 from the Leading Lives Community Benefit Fund which will pay for the equipment for our brand new sensory room."

The organisation has already raised more than £5,500 towards the first target of £20,000 and is still needing donations.

Georgina Hanser, one of the owners of the farm, said: “The welcome back pizza party was a huge success and everyone had such a great time.  

“Fred and Jon made a grand entrance to start the event off and in Fred's speech he said he had found parts of the walk really difficult but he felt ok and thanked everyone for supporting him and his dad, Jon.”  

During the event, the support centre raised more than £600 and sold out all the tickets.  

Emma Novak, a part-time worker at the project who helped during the event with her daughter, Lenny, said: "Working at Fairview, I know what a huge impact this new building will have on the people who attend here. We just knew that, as a family, we wanted to get involved.” 

The owners, together with their children, prepared 73 pizzas for the event participants.  

Mr Hanser added: “It was so wonderful to share our beautiful space, on such a Sunday day, with so many people. To see everyone having such a great time was really emotional.”