College News

Ros’s boots are made for walking

A member of staff at Solihull College will be putting her best foot forward to march 189miles in aid of Help for Heroes.

Information Officer Ros Houston will be walking the entire length of the River Thames to raise money for the charity which helps those who have been wounded in Britain's current conflicts.

The idea came about whilst Ros, who on average walks 10-12 miles a week, was visiting her daughter in Oxfordshire. Ros explains: “I’d been out walking and saw a sign for the 189mile long Thames Path. Later that evening, over a glass of wine with my friend, I joked about the idea of walking the entire length of the River Thames.”

“The more I thought about it, I really wanted to do it and the thought of doing it for charity inspired me even more. My son-in-law is a serving Officer in the Army and has done a stint in Afghanistan which is why I chose Help for Heroes. It’s such a worthy cause which is making a real difference to the lives of our extraordinary service men and women.”

Ros will be teaming up with her close friend Doreen Taylor to complete the trek in two legs. The first leg of the journey will start in Kemble, Gloucestershire, at the end of the month and will see the duo walk 95miles in just one week. The second leg is set to take place in August with another 95mile walk taking them to the finish line - the Thames Barrier in Charlton.

“Some of the bed and breakfasts we are booked into during our journey are letting us stay at discounted rates as they know we are walking for charity which is fantastic,” Ros adds. “We’d like to thank everyone who has donated so far helping us to raise more than £700 – we would love to raise even more for the charity.”

If you would like to make an online donation to Help for Heroes visit www.bmycharity.com