Great walk of China marks anniversary

Feb 16 2007 Jenny Wood

A POPULAR Perth physiotherapist will walk along the Great Wall of China later this year – to mark her china wedding anniversary!

PRI-based Patricia Baynes hopes to raise thousands of pounds for a charity close to her heart when she takes part in the trek this autumn.

Patricia told the PA: “This year is my 20th wedding anniversary, which is china.

“I have always wanted to go to China and see the Great Wall, so I decided to go for it and I thought if I am going to do it, it has to be for something.”

Patricia chose to support The Dochas Fund – a Scottish charity which raises money for care and research into Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and the debilitating Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS).

The 43-year-old explained her choice.

She said: “I felt whatever charity I chose, it had to be pertinent to my work.

“One of my patients at work came to us four years ago.

“She had Guillain-Barre Syndrome and could barely stand up.

“Now, she can walk with the aid of just one stick.

“Among the things I am doing to raise money for my trek is a sponsored walk around the North Inch, and she is going to do a mile of it which is brilliant.”

Patricia has already started fundraising for her October trek and, keen to keep going and make sure The Dochas Fund gets as much financial help as possible, the mum of two will even don her dancing shoes to make sure the charity’s coffers receive a welcome boost.

“They are over the moon I chose them as my charity,” explained Patricia.

“I have organised a ceilidh and would be grateful for people to support me by attending the dance, donate to the raffle or simply donate money via my sponsor form.”

Incredible raffle prizes are already up for grabs on the night when toe-tapping tunes will be provided by the well-liked Lomond Ceilidh Band.

Patricia is eager as many local people as possible come along and enjoy a good shindig.

The Dochas Fund was founded in 1998 by John and Catherine Paterson of Argyll.

John was an artist and psychiatric nurse who suffered from both GBS and MND – two devastating neurological conditions that rarely appear together.

Before his death in 1998 he asked that his art be used to help others.

The fund holds exhibitions and sells prints of John’s work. And as well as ploughing money into medical research and support for sufferers and their families, the fund is currently raising money to build a custom-designed carers centre – the first of its kind in the UK.

Patricia’s charity ceilidh takes place on March 16, in Perth’s Salutation Hotel, and the sponsored walk is on March 4.

To contact Patricia for further information, or to sponsor her, call 01738 473708 or 880336.