Guide Dog Oakley's Sponsored Walk from Bath to Reading along the Kennet & Avon Canal.
This page covered our sponsored walk in 2015. Our original target was £5,000, which we hit even before we completed the walk. We therefore started a second £5,000 campaign, which we are well over half-way to reaching. So, if you haven't donated already, then please do consider giving even just a small amount. It all helps, and it all goes to a very good cause.
As you may have read elsewhere on this site, we are naming our first puppy "Raymond", after Tim's father, who passed away during the walk. When we reach our second £5,000, we will be able to name another puppy!
About the walk....
After my Mum's eyesight started to fail and before she was given the gift of me (her Guide Dog) in 2012, she struggled to get out on her own. Life was very difficult, and she felt trapped in her own home, and very down in the dumps.
Almost as soon as Mum and I became a working Qualified Guide Dog Partnership, her life was transformed. She was able to go out independently with confidence, and life became worth living again. We are now all enjoying life on a narrowboat - something they could not have done without me.
Mum & Dad cannot begin to afford to repay Guide Dogs Breeding Association (UK) financially. Mum wishes to show something of her gratitude by walking from Bath to Reading along the Kennet & Avon Canal, to raise money and awareness for this amazing life-changing organisation. This walk will begin on Saturday 4 July 2015 in Green Park, Bath and, over the course of 3 weeks, she will be joining with several local Guide Dog branches along the way at various events, such as pub quizzes and barbecues (among others).
Please also take a look at Mum's two videos. The top one tells you more about why we did this. It also shows how I help. The second video is from a seminar at the Crick Boat Show in May 2015.
The fundraising for the sponsored walk has now finished, as we smashed our target! However, we are still continuing to raise funds for Guide Dogs, and the link to our current campaign is below. If you would like Mum and Me to come along to your group and talk about our work, then please use the Contact Us page.
Don't forget to Gift Aid if you can. It doesn't cost you anything, but the charity gets an extra 25 per cent!
New Timetable
Arrive at
Miles
Locks
Hours
Sat
3
KINTBURY LAUNCH EVENT – Blue Ball Pub, Kintbury from 3.00pm until late. Quiz, fun, talk, music & more!
Sun
4
Newbury
5
8
4
EVENT Sunday 7pm onwards Bacon Arms, Newbury.
Inspirational Talk by Mum, plus come and meet me!
Mon
5
Thatcham Station Visitor Moorings
3
5
3
Tue
6
Woolhampton
3
3
1.5
EVENT 7pm onwards The Rowbarge, Woolhampton. Cheese & Wine, Meet & Greet, Raffle and Presentation.
Wed
7
Aldermaston
2
2
1.5
EVENT at The K&A Trust Visitor Centre & Café, Aldermaston. Noon-4pm, Meet & Greet drop in.
Thu
8
Theale Visitor Moorings
3.5
4
3
Fri
9
Fobney Lock, Reading
4
4
3
Sat
10
Reading (Prison Loop)
2
2
1
MEET & GREET us Broad Street, Reading. From Noon.
Thanks!
We would like to say a big thankyou to the following for their help. Please click on the logo for further details:
ABC Boat Hire, for offering us overnight mooring facilities at Aldermaston.
ABC Boat Hire, for offering us overnight mooring facilities at Hilperton.
The Bruce Trust, for offering us overnight mooring facilities at Great Bedwyn Wharf.
Canal & River Trust for reserving moorings at various locations, and their help in general for the walk.
Decathlon Sports shop, Reading, for providing Mum with walking shoes.
Foxhangers Boat Hire, for offering us overnight mooring facilities at the bottom of the Caen Hill Flight, Devizes.
The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust, for use of the visitor centre and mooring facilities in Aldermaston.
Original Timetable
(for info only)
Arrive at
Miles
Locks
Hours
Sat
4
BATH LAUNCH EVENT – leave Green Park 1.00pm
Sat
4
Dundas Wharf
7
6
4
Sun
5
Bradford-On-Avon
4
1
1
Mon
6
Hilperton
2.5
-
1.5
Tue
7
Seend Bottom Lock
4.5
2
2.5
Wed
8
Devizes Bottom Lock
3
5
3
Thu
9
Devizes Top Lock
3
29
7
Good opportunity to help us with the locks!
Fri
10
Rest day EVENT – Friday 10:00am-4:00pm Caen Hill Locks Café Guide Dogs and puppies Meet & Greet
Sat
11
All Cannings
6
-
2
Sun
12
Pewsey
6
-
2
The Waterfront Inn – BBQ/Music 12 noon onwards EVENT
Mon
13
Wootton Rivers
3
1
4
Tue
14
Crofton
4
9
4
Wed
15
Great Bedwyn Wharf
1.5
4
3
Thu
16
Hungerford
5
10
4
Fri
17
Kintbury
3
3
2
Blue Ball Pub, High Street - Evening Pub Quiz
Sat
18
Newbury
5
8
4
EVENT Saturday 12 noon onwards Victoria Park
Guide Dogs and puppies Meet & Greet
Sun
19
Rest day
Mon
20
Rest day
Tue
21
Colthrop Lock (nr Thatcham Station)
3
5
3
Wed
22
Aldermarston
5
5
3
Thu
23
Sheffield Lock
3.5
4
3
Fri
24
Reading
6
6
5
Sat
25
READING FINISH EVENT – Broad Street 10:00am - 4:00pm Meet & Greet, Sensory Tunnel, etc.