We are taking on the Brecon Beacons Night Hike to raise vital funds for Cancer Research Wales.#RememberingTom

A member of the StreetCare team knew Tom and wanted to support this event. Other staff were keen to take on the challenge and help raise vital funds for cancer research.

StreetCare is a division within South Gloucestershire Council. We provide frontline services including roadworks, winter maintenance, waste collection, grass cutting and street lighting. We employ over 350 operational and office staff who regularly fundraise for various charitable causes.

#RememberingTom

Tom Walker was a quiet, considerate and caring boy from Devauden in Monmouthshire aged 13. In February 2018 Tom's grandfather found a leaflet about hiking in the dark up Pen Y Fan, the tallest mountain in South Wales, whilst raising funds for Cancer Research Wales.

Tim, Tom's father, had a new pair of walking boots he needed to wear in. Tom wanted to get fitter so he could be a rowing cox. 'Two birds, one stone'.

Tom and Tim completed the walk as scheduled on Friday 23rd March in the rain, wind, snow and fog. Tom found it hard but carried on with lots of encouragement, despite being the youngest participant on the hike.

Sadly, Tom fell ill on Monday 28th May 2018 and after just two weeks of slow decline with a range of conditions, he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia on Wednesday 13th June. His condition rapidly worsened while has was having an operation on Thursday 14th June and he died after returning to intensive care that afternoon. His leukaemia became very aggressive in the last 24 hours and overwhelmed first his kidneys and then his heart.

Tom was a keen swimmer for his school, Monmouth School for Boys, and was learning to row on the River Wye. Less than three months before he died, before he knew he had leukaemia, he raised several hundred pounds for Cancer Research Wales in sponsorship for taking part in the Brecon Beacons Night Hike.

His loss is sorely felt by his family, friends, local community and school. We are #RememberingTom with a series of challenges and fundraising events. With the return of the Brecon Beacons Night Hike, we are going to retrace Tom's footsteps.