Borough charities receive boost after councillor's 100-mile walk (From Dudley News)

Borough charities receive boost after councillor's 100-mile walk

3:56pm Thursday 27th September 2012 in News

DYNAMIC Dudley councillor Steve Waltho has handed over £2,250 to a collection of charities close to his heart which he raised by taking part in a 100-mile Olympic-themed walk.

The 57-year-old councillor, who lives in Wordsley, took part in the Long Distance Walkers Association’s Games 100 walk which took die-hard hikers on a 48-hour trek from London’s Olympic Stadium via various Olympic sites before winding up in Windsor ahead of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Holiday.

The super-fit father-of-two, who had to complete a 50-mile qualifying walk in 24 hours to be accepted into the event, said he was “privileged” to take part and pleased to have raised £450 each for Dudley’s Action Heart charity, Leukaemia Care, West Midlands Lupus Group, Acorns Childrens Hospice and the Mayor of Dudley’s 2012/13 Appeal Fund (supporting Dudley Diabetic Association and Dudley Stroke Association).

Cllr Waltho, who works at Rhodia in Oldbury, said: “They’re a fairly diverse range of charities.

“We raise money for two of them through our work’s charity scheme and I support Leukaemia Care in memory of my dear mother-in-law and Action Heart as my dad died of heart disease.”

The gutsy St Thomas’s ward cllr, who is known for his energetic fundraising feats, says he has no further adventures planned yet but no doubt the gruelling event will not be his last charity challenge.