Maureen's walk for MND

This week it was not possible to manage my walk along the Thames due to the unusually hot weather. However I want to tell you about an event which took place in a lake near my home. This was an afternoon dedicated to help people with MND experience being totally emersed in water and swimming with Newfoundland dogs.  The event was offered by Pete Lewin's Newfoundland Emotional Support and Swimming Therapy dogs. Pete and his group of volunteers offer their dogs to support different charities where this therapy is badly needed. The experience is offered to Cancer charities, MS groups and other organisations where mobility and emotional support is essential.  All together there were six dogs present and whilst I was present  two men with MND took up the opportunity to swim with these wonderful dogs, their partners relatives and carers also.  Pete's trailer     One of the dogs. The preparation was detailed with every safety aspect covered. The team of volun...

  Blog No 6, Kingston Bridge to Sunbury Lock,  12/06/25 Kingston Bridge This walk was on my own. It was a bit of a treck, parking at the Park and Ride, boarding the bus for Heathrow and then the bus to Kingston. Kingston was the town in which I grew up, however it was beyond recognition to me. I met my cousin for a coffee and a good catch up sessions before setting off from Kingston Bridge. I walked to Hampton Court a distance of about three miles. The path for walkers was gravel whilst the path for bikers was tarmac, so risking life and limb it was easier to walk on the tarmac. The weather was quite sunny on this stretch but I was pleased when it became more cloudy with a slight breeze making it an easier condition weather wise to walk. One of the islands I passed had a large grey building with Wimbledon Lawn Tennis on the side, not sure what it is used for.  Wimbledon Lawn Tennis I knew this walk because my father used to walk me to Hampton Court was I was little just t...

  Blog No 5.   Kew Bridge to Kingston Bridge, 8 miles This was a walk on a special day, the anniversary of Elizabeth’s passing. My neighbour Graham suggested that we walk together in the morning as he would be in the area, picking up his wife Jules from Heathrow. We left at 7am expecting to reach Kew by 9am and walk whilst it was still relatively cool.     We started on the Thames Path but was soon diverted as the path was blocked which meant that we had to walk through Kew Gardens and then on through Richmond to pick up the river again just before Richmond Bridge. It was a long detour but interesting as Graham had never visited Kew Gardens and so we have good pictures of the beautiful hot house and the Pagoda before we exited at Lion Gate. I remembered my visit to Kew with Elizabeth, one time in particular when Eve was still in a pushchair, it was hot and we all enjoyed very messy ice-creams near the Orangery Tea Rooms as they are now. It was not so good...

  Blog No 4 - Putney Bridge to Kew Bridge, 7 Miles It was a great Walk last Saturday from Putney Bridge to Kew Bridge, a gentle walk of approximately 7 miles. The best thing about it was that I was accompanied by my granddaughter Eve and her partner Lucas and Olive, Elizabeth and Eve’s dog.   We met on Putney Bridge and began the walk. It was cloudy and fairly blustery but good walking weather.   https://maureen-thames-walk-for-mnd.blogspot.com/2025/05/blog-no-3.html?m=1     We were joined just before Hammersmith Bridge by Max, Eve’s brother and stepson to Elizabeth. The party of four soon became five after Hammersmith Bridge with Tom a good friend of Elizabeth’s. We talked and chatted as we walked. The time and distance seemed to melt away. I glanced across the river as we passed Hammersmith Bridge to where I knew Lonsdale Road would be opposite. Elizabeth was born in Queen Charlottes Hospital and we lived in Lonsdale Road until she was almost...