Ballymena group celebrates 30 years of walks for Tearfund, raising half a million pounds!
- Gareth and Carol Williams have walked every year for 30 years in support of aid and development charity, Tearfund
- 200 people join annually, including several schools
- This year marks the group’s 30th walk, which first took place in Glenariff and moved to Shane’s Castle in 2013
- The group has raised over £450,000 for Tearfund
How it all began
When Gareth and Carol Williams, along with a friend, Andy Jordan, first decided to hold a walk in Glenariff Forest Park, they didn’t know that 30 years later, they would still be running the event or that they would come to raise over £450,000 for global aid and development charity Tearfund.
“We had the idea to do a sponsored walk, mainly to involve schools and youth groups, to raise money for a Tearfund project specifically relating to children, and to have the opportunity to share about Tearfund’s work in local schools,” says Carol Williams.
She continues: “For the first 24 years it was a 5 mile walk in Glenarriff forest park, a bit more arduous than the present one! As school groups wanted to come earlier we extended the time from early afternoon with a BBQ in the evening. Now we are there from 10am until dusk.”
The walk moves to Shane’s Castle from Glenariff
The group moved to Shane’s Castle 6 years ago when an outbreak of a tree disease closed Glenariff temporarily. Carol says “the 5k walk there is much more accessible to all ages and we decided to stay.”
Among a number of local schools which have supported the walk over the years, Cullybackey College attends annually. Overall, a core of approximately 200 people walk each year.
The money raised has helped Tearfund support many projects.
The group has raised over £450,000 over the years. Carol explains: “For the most part the projects were specifically to help children and tied in with the number of schools taking part. Now we join with other groups in Northern Ireland in supporting the same project.”
The projects chosen by the group have led to some lasting international relationships. For example, in their second year, the group supported Asha, one of Tearfund’s partners in Delhi, India. “We sent money to provide vaccinations to slum children during a cholera epidemic. We also supported Asha on two other occasions. This link resulted in Dr Kiran Martin from Asha speaking in Ballymena while visiting Tearfund Northern Ireland. As a result a team of builders from Wellington Presbyterian Church, Ballymena went to help rebuild a clinic in the slums in 2002. Our link with Asha continues still today.”
Tearfund’s Community Fundraising Manager thanks the Ballymena walkers.
Jane Robertson, Tearfund’s Community Fundraising Manager in Northern Ireland, says: “We are so grateful to everyone who has participated in these walks over the years. 30 years is such an accomplishment, and the money the group has raised has made – and will continue to make – a tremendous difference in the lives of so many around the world.”
On why the group chooses to support Tearfund, Carol is clear: “Tearfund has been a constant influence in our lives for over 40 years. Along with other members of our prayer group the natural outworking of praying has been to challenge ourselves and others and to make a difference – to walk as Jesus would have walked.”
This is now being passed down to younger generations. Carol’s daughter, Ruth, who first took part in the walk as baby in a sling, will have her own son with her on this year’s walk. In fact Ruth’s son, Carol’s grandson, will have participated in the walk for the third year in a row.
Find out more about Tearfund on their website here.