02 Jun Essex family conquer walking challenge for deaf children
Westcliff-on-Sea residents the Halloran family have completed a fundraising challenge to walk 50,000 steps – one step for each of the UK’s deaf children – in support of the National Deaf Children’s Society.
Nicola and Paul Halloran, together with their children Ben, 7 and Oliver, 4, and their puppy, Waffle, took on the charity’s ’50k in May’ challenge by walking along the cliffs at Folkestone and exploring the Essex countryside around their home. They completed the challenge with a 6km walk through the New Forest on 31 May.
The family were inspired to take on the challenge for the National Deaf Children’s Society because Ben was diagnosed with deafness at the age of four and now uses hearing aids. The family has been receiving ongoing support from the charity.
The Hallorans raised £560 for the National Deaf Children’s Society’s vital work.
Commenting on their 50k in May challenge, Nicola said:
“When Ben was first diagnosed, we had little knowledge of hearing loss as we are both hearing parents. We’ve attended several of the courses run by the National Deaf Children’s Society and they’ve been so helpful for both us as parents and for Ben too. They enabled us to meet other families of deaf children and their support and advice has been so invaluable.
“This challenge was important to us as it allowed us to spend time as a family whilst raising money for a charity that has supported my son and us as a family when we most needed it. Hopefully by doing this challenge it will raise deaf awareness, so that Ben and other deaf children can grow up in a world without any barriers.”
