Walkers raise £2,500 for hospital in memory of Gareth Heald

* The walkers are greeted by members of Gareth's family, including his mother Nesta Hughes, outside Anfield football ground.

A group of men raised £2,500 for charity by walking from Llangollen to Liverpool in memory of their friend who passed away last year at the age of 45.

Gareth Heald was born and raised in Llangollen, attending Ysgol Bryn Collen and Ysgol Dinas Bran and singing in St Collen’s Church choir.

Later he moved to the south of England and became finance director for a firm in London, living in Hertfordshire with his wife Rachel and son George.

* Gareth Heald who died last summer.

Gareth died suddenly in the summer of 2021 and a collection taken at his funeral in St Collen’s Church raised over £2,000 for the Great Ormond Street children’s hospital in London where son George received dialysis treatment after he became seriously ill in 2020.

After the funeral four friends from his school and university days decided they would also like to make a special gesture to support the hospital in his memory – trekking from the home of his mother Nesta Hughes in Maesmawr Road over to Anfield football, legendary home of Liverpool FC of whom Gareth was a long-time supporter.  

Over two days on a recent weekend they covered the 60 miles to the ground, managing to collect over £2,500 in sponsorship cash.

They were greeted outside Anfield by Gareth’s friends and family, including his mother Nesta.

She said: “His friends Mathew, Andrew, Simon and Arran did the walk and we went over there to thank them for their efforts, which were amazing.

“I’d also like to thank everyone who pledged cash to the walk. People were stopping me as I was shopping in town to offer donations.”   

* The four walkers set off from Maesmawr Road, seen off by more of Gareth's friends.