Sponsored walk raises £600 for Wolds Wildlife Park defibrillator fund

Sharron Tonge, the park’s events and cafe manager, embarked on a 17-mile sponsored walk on Thursday (September 15) with her mum Jane Tonge to raise money towards the wildlife park’s campaign to raise the money to purchase a life-saving defibrillator for the park.

The pair set off from the park at just after 9am, and walked the Viking Way, which follows the Spa Trail along an old railway line to Woodhall Spa, where they enjoyed some tea and cake before walking back through Old Woodhall following the cycle route back to the park, where a welcome committee was waiting for them.

Sharron said: “It took us six hours altogether and we really enjoyed it – my mum is a fit as I am and she’s 76 so we did well.”

Their sponsored walk has so far raised around £600 towards the defibrillator fund.

"I’m really chuffed as it will really push forward our defibrillator fund and we’re not far off the total needed for the full amount now.”

The park will be hosting a number of other fundraising events over the next few weeks.

On September 29, they will be taking part in Macmillan Cancer Support’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning from 10am to 12noon, and will be offering cake, tea and coffee and encouraging donations to Macmillan.

Then on October 1, they will be taking part in Lincolnshire Day with gusto, by hosting a celebration complete with traditional Lincolnshire fare, including stuffed chine, plum bread and Lincolnshire sausages, as well as a talk from Lincolnshire dialect expert Loretta Rivett.

Sharron will also be performing as her Sharna alter-ego on October 5 as a final fundraiser for the defib fund at 1.30pm, with a raffle also running.