Ellee Seymour

My last Toastmasters’ speech a couple of weeks ago was about the many wonders of walking; my joy of belonging to The Ramblers’ Association and the Ramblers Group in Cambridge.

There were many smiles when I told the audience they could literally walk into love, just like Geoff Jones and Sally in Norfolk did, and other couples that I have met while leaping across a stile. Small surprise then that at the end of the meeting, one of the bachelor members came up to me and asked about joining

The joy of walking across meadowland and buttercup fields, snowbell woods and coastal paths, is unrivalled. No need for lectures from me about its benefits for your health and good companionship, they are fairly obvious.

I still haven’t accomplished my goal of walking 20 miles per day with ease, or pounding the stunning Pembrokeshire coast path, but the fault is mine for spending too many hours glued to the computer instead; I hope to tell a different story this time next year. In fact, one of the main pleasures of walking is of  being unreachable and I always switch my phone off, unless I want to take some pictures.

It now seems that walking could be the new rock’n’roll, and that it’s appeal has won over earth loving rock babes and musicians who are attracted to peace and solace in fresh air and unblemished countryside. A report in the Weekend supplement of yesterday’s Times carried the front page headline, “Walking? It’s the new rock’n’roll.”  Four rockers shared their favourite walks, including former Britpop “wildchild” Pearl Lowe, and Blur’s bass player Alex James, who is also introducing its joys to his four kids under 5. It all sounds very unrock’n’roll to me!

If you find yourself footloose and longing for a good stretch over the festive break, here is a list of 20 winter walks recommended by The Times, including two in East Anglia close to me: one along Snettisham beach in Norfolk which I can recommend, and the other closer to home in Welney, famed for the thousands of swans and migratory birds which seek refuge there each winter.

I often meet friends for a brisk riverside walk during the lunchtime instead of having a catch up chat in the pub. It’s far more invigorating, and costs nothing. If you find yourself in Welney, do let me know and I will try and join you for the magical swan feed.

And if you do have a favourite winter walk, please share it with us.

*The pic on the right shows me with two girlfriends on a short spring walk from Cambridge to the Orchard Tearooms in Grantchester.

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At a time when fundraising is close to crisis levels for some charities due to the credit crunch, Helen Bearfield- Smith has raised a staggering £1 million in two years in East Anglia for Teenage Cancer Trust.

It means that a new specialist unit at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge which started this month can open in December 2010 and will treat patients aged 13 to 24 from across East Anglia and beyond.

Helen is an extraordinary woman and I have the pleasure of knowing her. She worked tirelessly on setting up fundraising committees in each of the six counties in East Anglia and also had two major strokes of luck:

• She secured the support of the very well connected and influential Emilie van Cutsem as Honorary President of the Teenage Cancer Trust Unit Fundraising Development Board. Emilie was very active, and not just a name at the top of headed notepaper. She and her husband Hugh are close friend of Prince Charles.
• Helen also had the full backing of the Cambridge News where she previously worked; barely a day went by when you didn’t see Helen and the TCT get a mention.

Helen is also extremely personable and I can see why anyone would find it hard to say “no” to her. I met her one evening at an event for TCT and she she agreed to come to Headway Cambridgeshire to pass on some of her tips, which was much appreciated; she was very generous with her time and advice. I told her she should write a book so many others could learn from her experiences. I still think she should.

Nationally, the Charities Aid Foundation reports that Britains have given £1.3 billlion less to charities this year compared to 2008. I think Helen can name her price in any future fundraising job she seeks, and I am confident she will not be short of offers from head hunters.

Do you know anyone who has topped Helen’s success in the last couple of years?

Pic courtesy of the Cambridge News. Helen is third from the right.

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