Lincoln quadriplegic woman to walk for charity

A Lincoln woman with quadriplegic cerebral palsy will take on a mile and a half walk for charity.

Jo Tolley will take on the hour and a half challenge at Whisby Nature Park to raise money for Lincoln Samaritans.

“Normally if you were to see me walking about I resemble an uncoordinated baby giraffe,” she said. “So it’s a big thing for me to walk a mile and a half.”

She will be taking on the challenge with a special walking frame at 1pm on Sunday, May 12. People are free to go and cheer Jo on.

If you’d like to sponsor for the walk, which is like trekking up a mountain for Jo, go onto her blog page here and click the pink button.

Jo continued: “Sometimes people find themselves in really dark places and just need a chat with someone they don’t know.

“Samaritans will listen in confidence and not judge them, so they can talk through some of the pressures weighing them down.

“They reach out to all areas of the community, from schools and workplaces to prisons and more, to educate people that it’s okay to not be okay.”

The Lincoln Samaritans branch has 60 volunteers who help answer some of the five million calls the charity receives every year.

Faith Williams, interim director of the Lincoln Samaritans, said: “We’re amazed that Jo is challenging herself to walk a mile and a half.

“We are immensely grateful and wish her the best of luck. All of the money that Jo raises for the local branch will help us answer more calls from people in emotional distress.”