A nine-year-old girl and her mother have walked 25 kilometres around Bury St Edmunds to raise money for the West Suffolk Hospital’s MyWiSH Charity.

Ishara Ali and her daughter Aaliyah walked out the distance across two days with the target of reaching all the “Welcome to Bury St Edmunds” road signs on the outskirts of the town.

The youngster, who is a pupil at Sebert Wood School close to where she lives on the Moreton Hall estate has, along with her mother, raised a total of £393.75 for the #25 appeal which has been set up by the My WiSH Charity and which supports the work of the West Suffolk Hospital.

They walked the walk on the last weekend of November and Aaliyah said she had a few aches and pains but said she felt “nice” after completing the distance.
“I was fine and I felt really good after I did it,” she added.

The #25 appeal was set up back in September as the 15th day of the month marked the 25th birthday of My WiSH who want to spend the following 12 months marking the occasion.
The charity wants people to get involved by taking part in fundraising ideas linked to 25 and they plan to end the year on September 4, 2021, with the Soapbox Challenge.

The money raised from the various events will go to support the WiSH Upon a Star Children’s appeal which enhances care for young patients right across the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust with a target of £25,000 to fund a play specialist in the emergency department at the hospital.

Ishara, who is a lecturer at the Colchester Institute, said the idea for the walk came from her daughter after they had watched the Pride in Britain awards. She said: “We were watching it and saw how they help people and Aliyah said she wanted to do something.”

Her father Mohamed, who had worked at the hospital as an anaesthetist before moving to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge, and her younger sister Aayath, four, who had been treated at the West Suffolk were also the spark for the initiative.

Ishara said: “Aaliyah wanted to do something for the NHS and we looked around to find what we could do and she initially said about a cycle ride but we decided on walking and she was all up for it.
“We told all our friends and family and everyone else who knows us which helped to raise the money.
“We walked just over 14 kilometres on the first day and completed the 25 the following day.
“We know how hard they work at the hospital and it felt right to do something for them.”

Sally Daniels, fundraising manager, said: “We are so grateful to Aliyah for supporting our appeal. She really has made a difference at helping us reach our goal.”

To get involved with the appeal call My WiSH on 01284 713466 or drop an email to them at fundraising@wsh.nhs.uk