Mum and son walking for Brain Tumour Research as start of miles of fundraising challenges

A mother and son fundraising team took on a four-mile fundraising walk, marking the start of their plan to rack up plenty of charity miles over the next year.
Natasha-Leigh Stewart and son Alfie, 8, took part in the Portsmouth Seafront Walk of HopeNatasha-Leigh Stewart and son Alfie, 8, took part in the Portsmouth Seafront Walk of Hope
Natasha-Leigh Stewart and son Alfie, 8, took part in the Portsmouth Seafront Walk of Hope

Natasha-Leigh Stewart and Alfie Hooper from Kingley Gate reached their goal of £200 before even starting Portsmouth Seafront Walk of Hope on Saturday, a 4.3 mile route in aid of Brain Tumour Research.

They ended up with a fundraising total of £259, and completed the walk despite Alfie injuring himself.

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Natasha said: “Alfie actually sprained his ankle within the first two minutes of this walk but he got strapped up and carried on. What a trooper.

Natasha-Leigh Stewart and Alfie Hooper with their medals for completing the Walk of HopeNatasha-Leigh Stewart and Alfie Hooper with their medals for completing the Walk of Hope
Natasha-Leigh Stewart and Alfie Hooper with their medals for completing the Walk of Hope

“It was great to reach our goal as we signed up very last minute. People have been incredibly generous. We are walking especially for Marie Hall, a friend who sadly passed away last year.

“I grew up around the countryside, so I grew up walking. I wanted to get out walking more, and we were thinking of things we could do as a family, so we thought of taking on some charity walks.”

Alfie, eight, was inspired to start fundraising after his school, Lyminster Primary in Wick, needed help with raising funds for pupils to be able to go on a residential school trip.

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They managed to raise £900 through Natasha’s business, Kaleidoscope Tattoo Collective in The Arcade in Littlehampton, giving cheaper tattoos for the day and having children with collection buckets.

This successful effort has led to Alfie being driven to be part of more fundraising challenges over the next year, and Natasha is keen to help him with this.

The duo will support any charity, but when Alfie is able to choose his own cause his first choice to raise money for will be the Make-A-Wish Foundation as he wants to help children.

Natasha said: “Alfie is a loving, caring boy and has a very big heart. He wants to help other people.”

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Natasha has signed up for five fundraising events as part of the Ultra Challenge Series next year, taking on 50k or 100k walks across the country to raise money for Help for Heroes in memory of a veteran friend who passed away last year.

Although Alfie is keen to be involved with these charity walks, you have to be older than 14 for the Ultra Challenges so Natasha has been finding other events for the two of them to take on together, such as 5k runs and Mini Mudder.

Alfie is also very excited to take on the Children’s Starlit Walk around Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in October to raise money for Rowan’s Hospice in Waterlooville, exploring the secret areas of the dockyard.

To make a donation to the pair’s efforts on the 4.3 mile walk at the weekend, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/braintumorresearchwalk

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