Earlier today Amy and I joined around 180 others for the 10K walk to raise funds for CHIPs (the children’s charity that runs clubs for special needs children that Toby attends). We’d been closely watching the weather forecast all week and it had been getting steadily worse. By yesterday gale force winds and heavy downpours were predicted and it’s safe to say that I wasn’t feeling very excited about the prospect of walking 10K in those sort of conditions. But when we arrived that feeling started to change because there was such a warmth and enthusiasm in the hall where we all gathered to do our warm up. Some walkers had even dressed up especially…
These are some of the lovely CHIPs people who take care of Toby
My lovely friend and organiser Hazel did a brilliant speech and warm up routine for everyone and then we were off, out of the warm dry hall and into the wind whipped rain. I had planned to walk with Amy and we were together at the start but she is young and fit and has long legs so it wasn’t long before she left me behind, (far, far behind).
In fact when I finished the walk (rather near the back) I found her and her friends already in the cafe eating cake. The three of them actually finished 3rd overall in a very respectable time of just under an hour and a half.
There was such a great atmosphere and despite the awful weather a lot of people turned up to walk. We all gathered for tea and cake afterwards (it was the thought of cake that had kept my legs moving over the last 3 kilometres). There was a raffle, a lot of hugging and congratulating and I was enormously touched to be awarded a trophy for raising the most money.
But I can’t claim the credit, because it was you lovely people that did that. So here is the trophy that I accepted on behalf of the kind and generous readers of the little cotton rabbits blog.
Thank you everyone – you are the best xxx
(And as you can see from the trophy picture the sun has come out now the walk is over!)
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Update: Tuesday 1st May
I’ve just used the random number generator to select a recipient of the little spring bunny from all of those that generously donated to our sponsored walk. It’s drawn number 85
Which is Brenda Allen.
Many, many thanks again to everyone for your wonderful kindness x
little cotton rabbits 
Well done Julie and Amy!
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Typical British weather!!!!
Well done Julie to you, Amy and everyone who took part in the walk and to all those who organised it, including the cake makers ( a vital part of the whole event!)!!
Well done too on raising so much money. 🙂
Vivienne x
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Well done, Julie and Amy – it was appalling weather today so I’m doubly impressed! Glad you enjoyed your cake – you deserved it.
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Woohoo … way to go Team Toby!!!
Lovely to see you smiling through the pain there Julie, it really was not the weather for walking was it.
Huge congrats on raising so much x
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What a grand day for you and Amy! And, for the cause and the kids. You are super special. Maybe you had to finish near the end so everyone could be there for your triumphant entrance! Good job…..and may you have many more pleasant days turn from rain to sun.
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Well done Julie and Amy!
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Well done to both of you!
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Well done both of you, just been across and made a little donation – sorry it’s a bit late. Thank you for being my first comment on the new blog too xx
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well done to all of you.
xxx
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Oh what horrible weather you’ve had for your walk, well done on making it through! Cake is a very powerful incentive. 🙂
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Big congratulations Julie & Amy for braving the great british weather, my thoughts were with you today and I am so glad that you both achieved your goal. As someone remarked before on the giving website you only have to ask and people will give, and didn’t they just, your total is amazing, well done everyone. x
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Fantastic effort, especially in such awful weather. You do get carried along on a wave of goodwill though x
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Brilliant – well done you! For the walking in the hideous weather, the fund raising and the good use of motivational cake.
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Oh, well done, AMY!!!! And Jules – for you and me, getting there is a great thing. How wonderful. There is nothing so deeply pleasing as being part of a bunch of people who are all working together with good will and the determination to make things work. Especially – when you are doing a service, a little bit of discomfort only makes it a nobler thing that you are doing it! I had determined that, if I won the raffle (ha!), I’d have to pay the price for a bunny, or have you sell her for full price to add to the amount. But I got sick and crashed and all of life is now too hard and even thinking hurts. Still, I look at the green fields on either side of the road you walked and wish I’d been there.
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Well done!!! nice trophy!!!
xxx Alessandra
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Living in the Pacific Northwest I’m quite familiar with lots of rain and wonky weather changes. I’m very glad you didn’t let it interfere with your lovely day, congratulations! It’s lovely that such a wonderful cause like this had such a great turnout, again congratulations! 🙂
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Well done Julie! I’ve been thinking of you all day wondering how you were doing and if the weather was cooperating! I’m glad it is over and that you didn’t melt with all the rain. 🙂
That first photo is awesome!!! Such great and wonderful people who help with our special kids. That is fantastic that they dressed up!!
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Congratulations and well done!
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Well done, both of you : )
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What a fantastic total.
Well done to all.
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Well done on completeing the walk on such a soggy day, there’s much to be said for the amazing power of cake xx
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Well done Julie, Amy and everyone else who braved that awful weather for such a good cause! I’m glad the event was a success despite the rain!
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Well done girls – especially in such awful weather!
I was thinking of you as the rain & wind hardly stopped here all day.
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Well Done Julie, Amy and everyone else who participated in the walk! Fantastic amount of money raised for such a wonderful cause! Maddy…x
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Brilliant! Well done to you and Amy! What a shame the weather was so horrid for you though. I hope the cake was delicious – you had earned it! Lucy xx
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Cake as motivation – inspired Julie, just inspired.
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Congratulations and three very big cheers to you both!
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Well done Julie and Amy,for walking and raising a lot of money xx
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Even though I don’t know you personally, only through your lovely blog, I thought of you and Amy yesterday
on what must have been the worst day weather wise.
Well done to both of you and congratulations.
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Congrats to you both!
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Well Done Julie and Amy!!!
Luv Jane XX
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Congratulations to you both!
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Wow — that’s awesome Julie! It looks like you had a wonderful time — Congratulations!
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Well done both of you for striding on through the rain! I bet the cake made it all worthwhile :o)
xx
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Well done, what a great job.
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well done all of you! My youngest son just ran the marathon in London. A big hurray for everyone who makes a difference in this world. Go fundraisers!
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Briliant…..well done Team TobyChips! Love Jenni x
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Congratulations, Julie and Amy! Loved the pics from the walk…
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Well done and congratulations on raising
so much money. X
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Congratulations and well done for going out in that lovely English Spring weather….Brisk as my dad would say! How fun that some dressed up and well done Amy and friends for coming in 3rd. Loved the photo of you in the wet weather gear and the trophy is awesome…Woo Hoo great effort everyone 🙂
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Well done Julie and Amy! When I first heard the distance of the walk, my chubby legs went soft lol! So full credit for the trophy goes to both of you bcos you did all the hard work! BTW did all that green body paint wash off in the rain for Incredible Hulk? just curious hehe…cheers!
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Congratulations, Julie. A worthwhile cause…
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