The Birmingham business community recently came together to support a sponsored walk that raised some of the funds needed to send disabled children on a dream holiday, to Disney World, in Florida.

Caudwell Children, organised the 2km Destination Dreams Walk around Kings Heath Park, Birmingham, on Saturday 1st August. The sponsored walk brought together families, who had previously benefited from the charity’s once-in-a-lifetime Destination Dreams holiday to Florida, alongside members of the public in a clear demonstration of support for the trip.

Nearly 100 participants raised over £1,000 towards the cost of sending 25 families on this year’s Destination Dreams holiday.

Sam Irwin, Events Co-ordinator for Caudwell Children, was delighted by the support that the charity received from businesses ahead of the walk. She said: “It was a great day with families coming from all over the UK to take part in the event. The Destination Dreams holiday is designed for children with life limiting and life threatening conditions, and I think that struck a chord with the business community.

“I’d like to thank the three authorised Lookers Vauxhall car dealerships, at Star City, Selly Oak and Yardley, for sponsoring the event. Funaticz Children’s Indoor Play Centre, in Flaxley Parkway, also provided Elsa, Anna, Olaf and other characters for the walk, whilst The National SEA LIFE Centre, in Birmingham, also presented each participant with half price tickets to their attraction, for up to five people, as a reward for attendance.”

To get into the spirit of the Destination Dreams holiday participants dressed as their favourite superhero, or Disney character. “Destination Dreams is all about disabled children and their families enjoying themselves together,” said Sam. “The walk reflected this and there was a real celebratory atmosphere around the park, as many of the families were meeting for the first time since they had taken the holiday together.”

It’s planned that the Destinations Dreams Walk will become an annual event. Sam said that if the recent walk is anything to go by it will be a great addition to the Birmingham calendar. As she concluded: “The enthusiasm of the participating families was clear for all to see. We even had members of the public registering on the day because they thought it looked such fun.

“Destination Dreams is an invaluable resource that has benefited many children from Birmingham, since its inception in 2007. Our annual walk will help us to continue to provide disabled children with the memorable holiday that they so desperately need and deserve.”