Acorns Inspirations - No.2
David Wall
Tireless and dedicated fundraiser for Acorns Children's Hospice.
Fundraiser, birdwatcher, walker
and maybe one day a wing-walker.
This is the second in a series of interviews, Acorns Inspirations. Meeting the people who devote time and energy to selflessly raise money on behalf of Acorns Children's Hospice. I want to shine a well deserved light on these unsung heroes who push themselves to support Acorns.
Tony Frobisher
Parent Carer Champion
Acorns Children's Hospice
August 2021
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David Wall
One in a (5) million (steps)
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You could always take the bus....
Last Thursday I drove up to Baggeridge Country Park near Dudley to the west of Birmingham. I had intended cycling from Worcester, a round trip of 60 miles (many of which are quite hilly). However, I decided against it as on Tuesday I had cycled 100 miles, with 6 climbs up the Malvern Hills on my bike. My legs were still feeling it and I couldn't face another long ride. I'm 53 and not in the Tour de France. I rested and recovered.
But what if you have a year long goal? Something that is so ambitious to achieve that in effect you need to be out every day, day in, day out, whatever the weather. Whether you are tired or not. And added to that, the challenge you set yourself is to walk 5,000,000 steps in 1 year, to raise money and awareness for a charity, but your job is sedentary?
That is exactly the situation the amazing man I went to meet has placed himself in.
David Wall is a 48 year old bus driver from Coseley, West Midlands. A devoted grandfather and an incredibly dedicated, determined and driven (pardon the pun) fundraiser for Acorns Children's Hospice.
In 2020, Dave began fundraising for Acorns. He set out to walk 4,000,000 steps throughout the year and achieved well over his target. His walks grew in ambition and length, but whatever the great British climate threw at him, from heatwaves to torrential downpours, Dave spent seemingly every spare moment pounding the pavements and canal towpaths around Coseley, Tipton, Dudley, Birmingham and beyond.
As 2020 turned to 2021, most people would have said, yes, job done. Over 4,000,000 steps and lots of money raised. Rest up, feet up,.. let's watch The Wizard of Oz on the telly. But not Dave Wall. 'I thought, well, I did 4 million, why not do 5 million this year?'
Every month he plans an endurance walk or event. He has walked from
Wolverhampton to Worcester, Walsall to Lichfield, walked to every Premier and
League football ground in the West Midlands and completed a 12 hour nonstop
walk on Cannock Chase.
Not satisfied with that, he has taken on endurance cycling events and as I type this is covered in thick sticky mud, soaked to the skin, slogging his way around a 7 kilometre course proudly wearing a (once white) Acorns Children's Hospice running vest as part of the Mudnificent 7 mud run event.
Walk on....
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Tony (L) and Dave (R)
Before the rain arrived |
Dave and I met in Baggeridge Country Park on a pleasant warm morning, but with the threat of rain hanging around. Undeterred and bolstered by a coffee we set off to walk a route through the forest trails. We stopped with unexpected frequency...'That's a young buzzard there....ah, wood pigeon...' Dave is a keen ornithologist and enjoys nothing more than a trip somewhere far and distant to catch a sight of a rare visiting bird. Last week it was a trip to Lincolnshire to see the A380 of the bird world, an albatross which had flown all the way from Antarctica. Almost as far as Dave has walked this year......
Thankfully the rain held off and we sat down for an interview. I wanted to know what drove Dave to come up with the incredible events and challenges has has done and what motivates him to dedicate so much time and effort to supporting and fundraising for Acorns.
This is an edited transcript of our interview
(D) Dave Wall (T) Tony Frobisher
Tony (T) So Dave, how did
you first hear about Acorns?
Dave (D) Through
the football, as the Midlands teams have all supported Acorns haven’t they? And
driving past the Acorns Hospice on the bus and hearing about the Black Country
Hospice appeal. I thought, you know, how can it happen, that it could possibly close?
T: Why did you
want to get involved and fundraise for Acorns?
D: I just wanted
to do something for Acorns…it’s for the children isn’t it? I want to help them.
T: Can you mention
some of the fundraising events that you’ve done and how you came up with the
ideas?
D: Well, I was
thinking of something I could do, you know. I’m not a runner or a cyclist, I
walk a lot, so I just thought, walking. It snowballed from there, doing lots of
steps to work and back. I thought of ideas to rejuvenate it (the fundraising)
every month. To keep the interest up. Initially people will support you, but
you need a reason to keep going, to remind them. So I can mention the event on
the day or the night before.
T: And you did a
couple of cycling challenges, but with a difference?
D: Yes, a 12 hour
static (exercise) bike ride and a 24 hour static bike ride. It was my wife
Sharon’s idea! The first one brought in just over £1,000. I was gobsmacked, I
really was.
T: So all told,
how much do you think you have raised?
D: It’s around
£,4,500 so far.
T: That’s amazing
D: If I get to my
target this year, it should be £6,000 That’s just from walking….people can do
it if they want to do it, you know?
T: And what’s the
most interesting or satisfying part of fundraising? Is it coming up with the
challenges, the planning, the fundraising or that feeling at the end when you
finish, you know a job well done?
D: It’s nice to get
your task under your belt – done. But it’s bringing the money in, that’s what
you want. You know I get more enjoyment in making money for Acorns than I do
for myself. It’s great when you get that ‘ping’ when someone donates.
T: Is there
anything difficult or frustrating that you find about fundraising? Or does it
still inspire you and motivate you?
D: The only thing
is, I wish I could do more. I mean that, I really do.
T: You’ve got some
more challenges coming up. What’s next for you?
D: I’ve got the
Mudnificent 7 on Saturday (A 7 kilometre muddy obstacle course), I’m going to
attempt 100,000 steps again – that's a 50 mile walk – or at least beat my personal best,
88,000 steps. And then I’ve got the Virtual London marathon in October.
T: If you could do
anything, from climbing Everest, Kilimanjaro, wing-walking, skydiving, marathons,
what’s for you?
D: I fancy
wing-walking or sky diving; I might do both of them!
T: You could
wing-walk, then jump off it….! So who inspires you, motivates you, encourages you
when things get tough?
D: The children
obviously, people like yourself, the other fundraisers, and the people who
support you as well. It’s nice to know people are supporting you.
T: What’s your
message to people who haven’t fundraised but are maybe thinking of it?
D: Just go for it,
whether it’s for Acorns or anyone, just go for it. I get a lot of satisfaction
from doing it.
T: Who would you
like to thank
D: I’d like to
thank my wife, Sharon. She always supports me, comes up with the ideas. I’d
like to thank people like yourself, the supporters, my colleagues at Walsall
National Express Depot – they’ve been brilliant, the community in Coseley.
Acorns – the team at Acorns has been fantastic, they’re always there, they help
you. Craig Punfield from ITV Central – he’s been great. And Tina and Darren
Smart too for their support. They generously donated a gift of installing blinds as a raffle prize. I’d also like to say thanks to my friend Derek
Hall, he does a lot for charity too and is a fellow bus driver. I have been really inspired by Derek and what he does for charity. And anybody else
who has sponsored me.
I then asked Dave a few 'quick fire' questions to get to know a little more about him
1. Hobbies and Interests
I love bird-watching and photography
2. Which football team do you support and why?
The Villa - Aston Villa. Probably because of Brian Little and his long hair (in the 70's)! Other people in the family support West Bromwich or Wolves, but Villa for me. Up The Villa!
3. Food / Dish
I love a homemade curry
4. Music
Michael Jackson, always loved his music and Erasure too.
5. Holiday destination or somewhere you’d like to go
Anywhere in the UK - Scotland
6. Favourite place in the UK?
Anywhere with birds!
7. Who would you most like to meet for a cup of tea and a slice of cake?
Living - Chris Packham, I admire what he does for birds, especially raptors.
Dead - An Egyptian Pharaoh
(Note, Dave is very interested in Egyptology / Archeology and has visited Egypt, travelling as far south as Aswan with his wife Sharon, across the Sahara - with an armed guard!))
8. Favourite book, film, TV programme
I don't get much time to read, but film - Alien (the first movie) , TV Dr Who, Phoenix Nights and Max and Paddy.
9. Running, walking, cycling, swimming or something else?
I'd love to be able to run
10. What do your family, friends and colleagues think about your fundraising?
Everyone is really supportive
My thanks to Dave Wall for meeting up and sharing his motivation, inspiration and reasons why he is so dedicated to supporting life limited children across the West Midlands via Acorns Children's Hospice. Good luck for the next challenge...and the next and the next and on finishing off those 2,000,000 more steps to reach 5 million step in 2021.
Walk on Dave, you have got so many people behind you. Thank you for making a difference.
Find out more and support Dave Wall on his incredible 5,00,000 steps for Acorns challenge and follow his progress with his continued fundraising challenges.
Donate via Justgiving
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Baggeridge Country Park
before the rain....
Find out more about the work Acorns Children's Hospice does supporting life limited children and their families across the West Midlands in their 3 hospices in Walsall, Selly Oak and Worcester
Acorns Children's Hospice
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Get in contact - if you are a fundraiser or supporter of Acorns Children's Hospice or if you would like to know more about the hospice. If you have any questions about fundraising, organising your own charity challenge event and how to make a difference, I am always happy to help.
Contact on Social media
Instagram: @vegpedaller / @apoemaday2021 / @rideformilla
Twitter: @vegpedaller / @apoemaday2021
Facebook: facebook.com/tony.frobisher
Email: frobitony1@yahoo.co.uk
Tony Frobisher is a Parent Carer Champion for Acorns Children's Hospice. His twin daughters Louisa and Milla were born 16 weeks prematurely in 2006, together with their elder triplet sister, Jewel. jewel lived for only 17 days. Louisa and Milla spent 6 months in hospital, operations on their eyes and heart (Louisa) and facing many other setbacks. Louisa is blind in one eye and partially sighted in her other, plus has mild developmental delay (learning difficulties).After a year, Milla was diagnosed with severe cerebral palsy, she was unable to walk or talk, but was a very happy, smiley girl. Acorns provided respite care for Milla until she passed away unexpectedly in 2016 aged 10.
Acorns were there for us during Milla's short life, and have been a constant presence ever since, offering grief and bereavement counselling, sibling support and a friendly, welcoming face whenever we visit Milla's memorial stone in the memorial garden at the Three Counties Hospice in Worcester.
