In fabulously fun apparel, on the 23rd March our Talitha community embarked on an epic 30km adventure! On March 23rd, staff, trustees, practitioners, and friends joined forces to walk the scenic Thames path, all to raise crucial funds for Talitha's life-changing therapeutic arts programmes. Made possible by the generous doubling of donations through the Big Give, we have since raised a whopping £18,306!! We are so close to our 20k goal, if you would like to donate visit our link here.
The day began with a buzz of excitement (and maybe a touch of nervous energy) at Hampton Court. Our team, a kaleidoscope of bright t-shirts and wacky hats, turned heads as we set off riverside. Kingston flew by in a flurry of conversation, and soon we reached our first pitstop at the 7km mark – Teddington Lock. There, our amazing founder, Amanda Root, cheered us on with a much-needed caffeine boost!
Refueled and re-energized, we continued along the picturesque stretch of river, the sun warming our backs on a cool day.
Richmond, our 13km marker, arrived faster than expected, thanks to the uplifting scenery and the camaraderie of our fellow walkers. After a picnic lunch amidst the bustling Richmond green, the 20km trekkers continued their journey towards Chiswick.
Overcoming some flooded areas and the beginnings of the aches and pains in feet and legs, our walkers reached Chiswick and our 20km mark.
After a quick drink stop at the Ship pub where we watched a spot of the rowing that was taking place on the Thames we carried onto Barnes Bridge. At this point we circled round to make our way back to Richmond and our 30km finish mark.
The final stretch demanded a little extra grit. Legs began to feel heavy, but the determination to reach our goal and the beauty of the Thames kept us pushing forward. With a final surge of energy fueled by the afternoon sun, we rounded the bend and triumphantly crossed the finish line at Richmond with huge smiles on our faces – 30km conquered!
With legs, feet and lower back now feeling the impact of the distance we pushed on, smiles still on our faces and the sunshine giving us the last push we needed to complete our epic walk!
We are extremely proud of our Talitha team for all their efforts in fundraising and their physical efforts taking on the walk on the day! We have raised £18,306 and could not have done it without the support and brilliant efforts of our community! We so proud of these efforts, but also found that had also rediscovered the power of nature, community, and a good old-fashioned challenge to boost our well-being.
One participant, remarked, "
It felt amazing to be out in the fresh air, moving my body, and connecting with everyone. It was a powerful reminder of how movement and nature can truly lift your spirits."
This sentiment resonated with us at Talitha. We champion the positive impact of the arts on mental health, and this walk has been a powerful testament to that very belief.
Reaching our 30km target was a collective triumph, and a huge thank you goes to every single walker who stepped out that day. We are incredibly grateful to the Big Give for choosing Talitha Arts as a charity for their "Arts For Impact" campaign. Their incredible initiative doubled £5k worth of donations during the walk week, making a truly transformative impact for a small charity like ours.
We had such a fantastic time on our Footsteps For Freedom walk. It was wonderful walk alongside our trustees, volunteers and practitioners, raising money for our transformative therapeutic arts programmes. Our thanks to all who helped raise over £18k! - Jenna Thorne, Artistic & Executive Director
Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to making a real difference in the lives of those who need it most. If you'd like to join us on our mission and help us continue to empower people through art, please consider donating to helps us reach our £20k goal – even a small amount can make a world of difference!
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,
The Talitha Arts Team