Family in sponsored Snowdon hike for hospital garden in memory of market trader

A Shrewsbury family is set for a sponsored hike up Snowdon to raise money for a patient garden at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital in memory of one of the town’s longest serving market traders.

The family will set off for Wales’s highest peak on Sunday November 26 to raise funds to improve patient access to the garden of the hospital ITU ward in memory of market butcher William Dodd.

Will Dodd died, aged 65, in September after spending 11 weeks on the ITU ward battling an illness. During his time in hospital he took great comfort visiting the garden.

His daughter Claire Evans, son-in-law Matt, granddaughters Victoria, 22, Charlotte, 18, and Elizabeth, 15, and Victoria’s boyfriend Matt Handley, 21, have already raised £2,290 in sponsorship donations for the hike and are hoping to attract further funds to pay for much-needed improvements to the garden, including patient bed and wheelchair access.

The money will add to funds already raised by other members of William Dodd’s family. Last month Claire’s sister Lisa Marsden and her family raised more than £1,800 in a sponsored swim the equivalent of the width of the English Channel.

Claire said the family originally planned their sponsored Snowdon hike for the garden when her dad was in hospital, and he was meant to join them at the summit of Snowdon after his hoped for recovery.

“Dad was going to take the train up to the top of Snowdon and sit and have a beer while he waited for us. Sadly, that was not to be. After Dad died we said we would do the sponsored walk together as a family in his memory.

“Matt, my husband, is an experienced walker. We’re all kitted out with the right gear and we’ve been in training walking the Stretton Hills and in the gym.“

The Shropshire and Telford Hospitals Trust Charity (SaTH) has already purchased a bench and a wheelchair access picnic table for the garden with funds raised so far by William Dodd’s family. Approval has also been given for groundworks to improve access to the garden. This will include a ramp and an extended paved area.

Will’s family are also hoping to raise enough money for a canopy to enable patients to use the garden in wet weather. Claire and Lisa both work at the hospital and know what a difference an accessible garden will mean for patients in recovery.

“We want to say a big thank you to everybody who has sponsored us so far, including Shrewsbury Market Hall traders who have been amazing,” said Claire.

William Dodd had been a butcher for 50 years. He ran his own business for 30 years, including 20 years in the market hall where he worked alongside his wife Dawn.

Money can be donated online via the JustGiving page for the sponsored hike at:

https://www.justgiving.com/page/claire-evans-1696180997609?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fclaire-evans-1696180997609&utm_source=sms&utm_campaign=pfp-sms