Wisbech schoolgirl’s marathon effort raises £3,550 for the 4Louis charity
Fundraising schoolgirl Shyla Brown completed a walking marathon on Saturday and raised a whopping £3,550 for a charity close to her family’s heart.
Shyla took to the streets early on Saturday, and Wisbech mayor Sidney Imafidon was there to cheer her on as she undertook her second charity marathon.
This time she was raising money for 4Louis, a charity that helps families who have lost babies, like her neighbours Sophie and Ryan Lockey, who lost their newborn son in November last year.
After hearing of their devastating loss Shyla announced she wanted to do something to help, and came up with the idea of the marathon to raise money for the 4Louis charity, which provides support and comfort to grieving families.
It also provides memory boxes filled with keepsakes and mementos to help families create lasting memories of their loved one, as well as providing useful tools, equipment, and training free of charge to hospital units, hospices, and other professionals who work with grieving families.
Previously Shyla has completed a walking marathon in aid of her school pal Harrison Dodkin and his family.
Her efforts on Saturday, around Newton in the Isle, started at 4am, and saw various family members, friends, and supporters join her as she completed 8.5 laps of the village.
Her mum, Blair Simpson, did five laps with her and was at the finish line to give Shyla a congratulatory hug as she completed her challenge in eight hours and 13 minutes.
The last lap saw her accompanied by 40 supporters, as well as two horses and two dogs. Ryan and Sophie also accompanied Shyla for much of the walk.
Shyla started her fundraising in 2023 when she ran a lemonade stall for her Peckover School classmate Harrison in the car park of her grandparents’ pub in West Walton.
Harrison and his older brother Finley have both been diagnosed with Batten's Disease, a life-limiting and degenerative neurological disease.
Ben and Sarah Dodkin have been running a Pedal4Memories fundraising campaign to raise money to help create memories for Harrison and Finley and their middle brother, Arthur, who does not have the disease.
Shyla, 10, who is the eldest daughter of Blair and her partner Dean Brown, has raised thousands of pounds since she first started for the Pedal4Memories appeal.
In fact, her efforts at the weekend have taken her total to over £10,000 raised in just two years and while she puts her feet up after Saturday’s marathon effort, she is already planning her next event for Pedal4Memories.
Blair said: “She has done amazing, we are so proud of her. She has raised over £10,000 for charity since she started, which isn’t bad for a 10-year-old.
“She is already thinking what she can do next, and is thinking she might do a blind marathon – but is not 100% certain. We will get over the weekend’s excitement and then make a decision.”
