Charlotte Church .net

Charlotte joins Botham for The Noah's Ark Appeal - 11 October 2003

=Introduction=

Legendary cricketer Ian Botham walked across Wales to raise cash for the Noah's Ark, Children's Hospital appeal. Charlotte joined Ian on the last two miles of the walk, in Newport on October 11, when members of the public could also join in. For coverage of last year's event, please see our 2002 Walk feature.

=Pictures=

=Press=

NEW! Press Scan | 10 November 2003 - Daily Star

Heart of an Angel
Charlotte raises money for kids' hospital appeal
By Ross Kaniuk

NEW! Press Scan | 13 October 2003 - the Mirror

THE END
(Don't you believe it!)
By Brendon Williams

TIRELESS Ian Botham finished his twelfth marathon charity walk and hinted it was his last - probably.

Beefy, who has trekked thousands of miles for good causes in the last 18 years, has "retired" five times.

And after his latest walk - to raise money to build Wales' first children's hospital - he again cast a doubt over a return. "It's a big if," he said. Cricket legend Botham, 47, finished his nine-day, 210-mile South Wales trek at Newport on Saturday.

He kept up his strength by eating curry, his favourite food, and he and his team polished off more than 200.

Botham said: "We needed plenty of food to keep us going on what was one of the best walks we've done. The support was great. The children's cheers spurred me on. The hills were tough, but we coped."

Botham, a grandfather of three, got so tired he was in bed by 9.30pm each night. He said: "Those hell-raising Beefy days are over. It was a struggle but I kept going by focusing on the tarmac - it's amazing how many types there are!"

The walk has already raised £300,000 towards the Noah's Ark Appeal, the charity behind the hospital. Botham, whose grandson James was born in Cardiff, decided to help after finding out Wales is Europe's only country with no specialist children's hospital.

He raised £1million towards the cause with another walk in Wales last year. He said: "If, and I mean if, I do another I think it will be in Wales, but it's a big if. The warmth and generosity here is second to none.""

Asked if her husband would quit charity walks, wife Kathy said: "I've lost count of the times he's said he's retiring. Who knows?"

The Daily Mirror was at the finish to congratulate Beefy on his marathon effort. We followed his progress every day.

Also there was Welsh singer Charlotte Church, 17, who trekked the final two miles with Botham.

She said: "I'm shattered. He walks so fast. I'm glad I didn't have to do the whole 210 miles. It's so difficult keeping up with him. I don't know how he does it."

NEW! Press Scan | 13 October 2003 - Western Mail

Botham raises £350,000
by Rhodri Evans

IAN Botham's walk through the South Wales Valleys has raised more than £350,000 for the Noah's Ark Appeal, fund raisers revealed yesterday.

It means the Appeal has now raised about £1m of the £1.5m it needs to kit out the Children's Hospital for Wales with the latest equipment.

Noah's Ark Appeal spokesman Phil Carling said the appeal was now on course to meet its target.

"We are about two-thirds of the way there," he said.

"We are now very confident we will be able to raise the rest of the money by the end of next year. It has been a major step forward but there is still a lot to do."

After walking another 210 miles through Wales, for this his second walk, the question is now would he be willing to do it again.

"I feel good but it is always a sad moment to finish the walk," said Botham.

"I said this would be my last one but if, and I mean if, I do another one it will be in Wales.

"The warmth, hospitality and response from the people was fantastic."

Mr Carling said it would, of course be up to Botham if he stepped out for the appeal once more, to add yet more fundraising to the £1.3m he has already helped to raise for the project.

"It is up to him," he said.

"This has always been the last one but towards the end he did say that if he ever did another one it would be in Wales."

NEW! Press Scan | 13 October 2003 - South Wales Echo

Botham hints he could be back!
by Gemma Williams

IAN Botham may be resting his blistered feet today, hut he has promised if he ever puts his walking boots back on it will be to trek back to Wales.

The cricketing legend completed his 210-mile walk around the South Wales Valleys on Saturday, raising more than £350,000 for the Noah's Ark Appeal for the new Children's Hospital in Wales.

But far from feeling excited at the prospect of a much-needed sit-down, Beefy said he was disappointed it was over - and hinted he may be back for more.

Speaking at the finish line at Newport's Rodney Parade rugby ground, Botham said: "I feel good but it's always a sad moment to finish the walk. I said this would be my last one but if, and I mean if, I do another one it will be in Wales."

Chairman of the Noah's Ark appeal Stanley Thomas praised Botham for his "wonderful" effort.

NEW! Press Scan | 13 October 2003 - the Star

NEW! Press Scan | 12 October 2003 - Wales on Sunday

NEW! Press Scan | 12 October 2003 - the Observer

NEW! Press Scan | 11 October 2003 - icWales

1,000 join Botham to finish charity walk Oct 11 2003
By Sarah Cade

Cricket legend Ian Botham was joined today by more than 1,000 people for the last stretch of a nine-day trek to raise money for a children's hospital.

The England hero said he was relieved but sad to have finished the 210-mile walk, which covered the length and breadth of the valleys of south-east Wales.

Speaking at the finish line at Newport's Athletic Stadium, he said: "I feel good but it's always a sad moment to finish the walk. I said this would be my last one but if, and I mean if, I do another one it will be in Wales.

"The warmth, hospitality and response from the people was fantastic."

The star, nicknamed Beefy, was joined by teenage singer Charlotte Church, Helen Adams of Big Brother, former Hear'Say star Noel Sullivan, plus a host of other Welsh athletes for the grand finale.

Church, a patron of the Noah's Ark charity, said: "He walked so fast. I'm glad I didn't have to walk the total 200 miles."

The singer, who was with her mother, said a children's hospital was vital as youngsters needed a comfortable facility designed specially for them.

Botham said he had also invited Catherine Zeta Jones to join the trek - as she did last time - but she was busy filming.

Cricketers Matthew Maynard and Robert Croft, Olympic long-jumper Lyn Davies and former Welsh rugby stars Gareth Edwards, Barry John, David Watkins and John Davies also joined the cricket star for the last leg.

Chairman of the Noah's Ark appeal Stanley Thomas praised Botham for his "wonderful" effort, adding that he was a "great man" who could not be thanked enough.

He estimated that the walk had raised at least £300,000 so far towards equipping the Children's Hospital for Wales in Cardiff.

Celebrating with half a pint of cider Botham added: "We can't put an exact figure on what we have raised as we have just started the ball rolling. So many people have come up to me and told me of their plans to raise more money."

At the start Botham said he was determined to help raise the £1 million needed to equip the hospital, which is due to open for patients in early 2005.

His fundraising walk, which started in Chepstow, covered Abergavenny, Ebbw Vale, Merthyr Tydfil, Pontypridd, Caerphilly, Cwmbran and Newport.

The team, who accompanied Botham on his walk, said they would tonight celebrate at a special dinner at a hotel in Chepstow.

Botham added that a fall by his wife Kathy during the last two miles had put a bit of a dampener on the last day.

His daughter Sarah said: "Kathy tripped on a speed bump and fell and hurt her hand but she is fine."

NEW! Press Scan | 11 October 2003 - the Western Mail

Botham charity trek climax
by Rhodri Evans

IAN BOTHAM'S marathon trek through the South Wales Valleys will come to an end in style in Newport today.

With two days to go the walk had already raised more than £200,000 for the Noah's Ark Appeal for a new children's hospital for Wales.

Fund-raisers are hoping that the crowds will turn out in numbers for the final day and dig deep in their pockets to swell the appeal's coffers.

Yesterday Botham was joined by ex-Wales rugby star Rupert Moon and former decathlete Daley Thompson as he made his way from Caerphilly to Cwmbran.

Today will see Botham set out on the final leg from Cwmbran to Newport. When he reaches Newport's Rodney Parade rugby ground he will be joined by a host of famous faces to travel the last few miles.

They include appeal patron Charlotte Church, Big Brother star Helen Adams, Jamie Shaw from One True Voice, boxer Joe Calzaghe, Glamorgan cricketers Matthew Maynard and Robert Croft, former Olympian Lyn Davies and dancer Adele Vellacott.

James Fox from Fame Academy, who comes from Bargoed, will entertain the walkers as they wait to join Botham who is expected to reach the rugby club from about 10am.

A Noah's Ark Appeal spokesman urged people from across South Wales to turn out to greet Botham as he arrived in the city.

"By Thursday night they had raised £203,000 for the appeal with two days to go.

"It has been brilliant," the spokesman said.

"We would urge people to turn up to see Ian at Rodney Parade because we want as many as possible to welcome him.

"The grand finale promises to be a fantastic end to what has been a very successful event."

NEW! Press Scan | 11 October 2003 - South Wales Echo

Generous donations boost Beefy's bucket
by Jean Parry

IAN "Beefy" Botham was given a rousing send-off as he left Caerphilly on the penultimate leg of his charity walk for the Noah's Ark Appeal.

Crowds gathered to cheer him outside the Twyn Community Centre, where he received cheques from schools, individuals and organisations to boost what looks like being a bumper final figure.

The proceeds of his marathon trek will be pumped into the appeal for the children's hospital for Wales.

Marjorie Gray, with other members of Caerphilly Ladies' Choir, acted as collectors on Thursday and Friday as Beefy and his entourage passed through the Caerphilly area.

Marjorie said: "The choir has raised money for the Noah's Ark Appeal previously and yesterday, as the "Golden Belles", we gave him a cheque for £100.

"People in and around Caerphilly were very generous with lots of them putting notes into our collecting buckets.

"As I went through Llanbradach one lady came out of a shop and dropped a cheque for £100 into the bucket."

Also in Llanbradach, pupils from Coed Y Brain school and Footsteps Nursery lined the street to cheer Ian on.

Today the walk was due to reach its climax in Newport. Joined by sports stars Joe Calzaghe, Matthew Maynard, Robert Croft and Percy Montgomery, Botham was scheduled to leave Cwmbran Stadium at 9.30am and make his way to Newport RFC by 12.45pm.

The grand finale would then take him and celebrities - including Charlotte Church - on a two-mile round trip before a celebration event.

Press Scan | 5 October 2003 - Wales on Sunday

Stride of the nation
By Kate Jackson

FORMER England cricketer Ian Botham completed the second leg of his Welsh walk for the Noah's Ark appeal to the cheers of hundreds of supporters.

The cricket great finished the second day of his nine-day walk across Wales in Abergavenny at 3.15pm yesterday.

It is the second time Ian has trekked across Wales to raise cash for Noah's Ark, Children's Hospital.

Hundreds of well-wishers lined the streets of the Monmouthshire town to give 'Beefy' a warm welcome after his 24-mile hike.

And although he was glad to make it to the end of an arduous day, Ian said he's still enjoying himself.

He said: "It's going very well so far. There's been a lot of rural walking today, but from here onwards we'll be going through more populated areas so hopefully there should be a lot of support.

"The weather's been pretty good, just a couple of showers."

Ian is joined by his daughter, Sarah, and several sponsored walkers who have all raised £1,000 a day to join the cricketer.

The walkers have already raised more than £40,000 for equipment for Wales' first children's hospital, in Cardiff.

Their daily treks begin at 9.30am, but the Welsh Valleys won't be alive with song. Instead, the walkers keep their spirits up by focussing on the end result.

Ian said: "There's no singing - you have to save all your breath.

"If you go down to see the children's hospital being built, which I did four weeks ago, it looks fantastic.

"It's a state-of-the-art building.

That's enough motivation - to build a children's hospital."

Among the well-wishers, were a group of children from Ysgol Gymraeg y Fenni, who sang a number of songs for Ian including Ar Hyd y Nos.

Headteacher Bronwen Green said: "It's a wonderful opportunity for us, and we've enjoyed helping out.

"This is an exceptionally important cause for children. It's a well-needed hospital in Wales, and it will be wonderful when it opens."

Charlotte Church will join 'Beefy' on the last two miles of the walk, in Newport on October 11, when members of the public can also join in.

Suzanne Mainwaring, direc- tor of the Noah's Ark Appeal, said: "The response so far has been fantastic.

"When Ian said he was doing the first walk, last year, it turned the campaign on it's head and made it a very high-profile charity.

"We are travelling through a new area now, and exposing more people to Noah's Ark.

"We're hoping to raise a quarter of a million pounds, and the signs look good so far - we just need the weather to hold now."

Press Scan | 3 October 2003 - the Mirror

WHY BOTHAM IS HITTING THE ROAD AGAIN
The past five or six walks have been my last but I always get talked into it again
By David Edwards

WHEN a weary Ian Botham completed his 227-mile walk around Wales last year, the former cricket legend vowed that it would be his final charity trek.

And few could have blamed him. After all, in the past 18 years he has walked more than 5,500 miles, raising millions along the way.

But "Beefy" Botham has made a career out of doing the unexpected, so it should come as a surprise to nobody that today he is setting off for yet another charity walk - this time through the Welsh valleys.

Laughing, he says: "The past five or six walks I've done have been the last, but someone always manages to talk me round. I'm saying this is the last one, because how many curtain calls can there be? But we'll just have to see. My grandson, James, was born in Wales so we've big ties down there."

Botham says his family is now the thing that gives him the greatest pleasure, but he knows he used to be accused of putting them in second place behind his sporting ambitions.

They were ambitions which made him one of England's most celebrated cricketers. By the time he retired in 1993 he had scored 5,200 runs and taken an English record of 383 wickets in 102 Tests. His finest hour came in 1981, when his batting heroics helped to win the Ashes from Australia.

But success came at a price. He was touring overseas with England when his children were born and for 17 years he was a part-time father to Liam, 26 - also a successful cricketer and now rugby player - Sarah, 24, and Becky, 17.

Ian says: "I don't regret anything, because it's a very competitive world out there and you have to put everything into what you're doing. But it's all come full circle.

"My wife's father almost became Liam's father in many ways, because I was away and would take him to rugby.

"Now, because Liam has the same problem and spends a lot of the time travelling, I've got the chance to be there for James.

"It's a mirror image of when my kids were growing up and it's nice to take him fishing, shooting, hunting or to go out with the quad bikes.

"Of course, being a grandfather can be very tiring, but it's great and a reminder of a lot of the things I'd forgotten about - and the great thing is you can give them back."

His latest walk begins in Chepstow and is due to end in Newport on October 13. During the 210-mile marathon Botham will be joined by Welsh celebrities including singer Charlotte Church, musician Rick Wakeman and Big Brother star Helen Adams.

He hopes to raise more than £2million for the Noah's Ark Appeal, which aims to build a children's hospital in Cardiff. But although it is 17 miles shorter than last year's walk, Botham knows the hilly terrain will test him to the limit.

"I've deliberately not looked at the itinerary," he says. But he adds with a shudder: "All I know is that day four is a horror, with something like 32 miles, but it averages out at about 27 miles a day.

"I've not actually done any training, unless you can call playing golf training, because how do you train for a thing like this? There's no point putting yourself through the pain twice.

"I might not be as fit as I was in my past, but I've got a job to do and I go out there and do it. It never strikes me to give up. Everyone who knows me knows I won't back away, although it bloody hurts some days.

"I actually enjoy the walks, and all the motivation I need came three or four weeks ago when I went to look at the hospital being built.

"I still find it amazing that Wales is one of the most modern European countries but it is the only one without a children's hospital. The dream is to have one not just in Cardiff but in Mid Wales and hopefully one in North Wales.

"Last year we went to Wales and made £900,000 in nine days on the road and a total of £1.9million.

"While we were there, everyone in the Valleys said: 'Why haven't you come here?' and I told them I couldn't do the whole country because it would take us a month. But we decided 15 months ago to do it, which, on reflection, might be stupid because valleys mean big hills.

"When you're a sportsman you're always pushing through pain barriers. It's a challenge and it keeps me competitive."

It isn't Botham's age - he is 47 - that's behind his decision to quit, but congestion along the routes.

"Although they walks have been brilliant, they're just becoming very difficult to organise because of the volume of traffic," he says.

Although he will always be remembered as a sportsman, he is almost as well known for the walks, for which he earned an OBE in 1992.

"I get all the praise but the real unsung heroes are the 20 people who do all the work behind the scenes," he says.

"They do everything, like booking the hotels, sorting out the cars and collecting the money. They've been working really hard before I even get to the start line. The person I feel sorriest for is the guy who drives the lead car. Imagine driving 30 miles at three or four miles an hour and not even being allowed out for a pee.

"Sometimes you get a mad urge for a chocolate milkshake on some blasted moor and they'll get it for you, so I have the easy part.

"One of the most rewarding things is when you get people coming by who were ill or joined us on the walk when they were 10 and have made a full recovery and are as strong as oxes.

"People will come up to you and say: 'You came out in 1985 and you helped me' - and that's the best feeling in the world."

Botham is just as busy as before he retired from cricket. As well as being a Daily Mirror columnist, he spends 10 months a year travelling the world as a TV commentator.

On the morning I met him, close to Lord's cricket ground, he was launching a range of wines with fellow ex-England star Bob Willis and winemaker Geoff Merrill

He says: "My life is still very much cricket, although in a different way.

I STILL go to the same countries but now actually get to see them. When you're a player it's all hotels, airports and grounds.

"Now we get 10 days off between first and second Tests so you can explore. I love India and can't get enough of the place, and the same with New Zealand.

"We drove around and it's probably the most beautiful country I've ever seen - and it was the first time I had properly seen it. This is the perfect job."

But while life may be idyllic, he is all too aware that his every action is still the subject of intense public interest.

Over the years he has admitted smoking marijuana, been accused of infidelity to his wife of 27 years and in January 2001 publicly apologised to Kathy after allegations of an affair with Australian waitress Kylie Verrells.

"I've spent my whole life in the public eye so I don't know anything different," he says. "I've been there ever since I was 16 and if you are a sportsman and good at what you do, it goes with the territory.

"In fact, any sportsman worth his salt who isn't in the public eye should think about doing something else.

"I've had my share of headlines, but I couldn't give a stuff, to be honest. I really couldn't care less.

"I've seen it all now and seen all ends of it and laughed about it on the way. At the end of the day I get on with it and certainly don't worry about it.

"I'm a great believer in things happening for a reason."

Press Scan | 2 October 2003 - PA News

Botham beefed up for charity walk
By Sarah Cade

Cricket legend Ian Botham was today preparing for his latest charity walk to raise money for a children's hospital in Wales.

He said he was "excited" and "feeling strong" on the eve of a 210-mile, nine-day hike covering the length and breadth of the valleys of southeast Wales.

"I am feeling great at this stage. Nothing hurts at the moment, but I am sure that will change over the next nine days," said the Test Match hero.

Last Spring Botham, who said he never trains, trekked from Machynlleth to Cardiff, raising almost £1million for the Noah's Ark Appeal, which was launched in May 2000 to build a Children's Hospital for Wales in the Welsh capital.

At the time he believed it was his last walk, having covered some 6,000 miles and raised more than £5 million in total for his chosen charities.

But Botham, nicknamed Beefy, is determined to raise another £1million to equip the hospital, which is due to open for patients in early 2005.

At a news conference in Chepstow he said: "It is very exciting to see the new Children's Hospital becoming a reality.

"It will certainly be a boost, when it gets a bit painful in the valleys, to have a clear picture in mind of the new building.

"We now simply have to raise the £1.5 million needed to provide state of the art equipment for this magnificent building and we have only to the end of next year to do it."

His latest walk, which is due to start in Chepstow tomorrow morning, covers Abergavenny, Ebbw Vale, Merthyr Tydfil, Pontypridd, Caerphilly, Cwmbran and Newport.

He appealed to people in the valleys to help raise more money than they did on the first walk.

"People in the valleys threw down the gauntlet insisting they could better the cash raised on the last walk so the challenge is now on," Mr Botham said.

Some of the biggest names in Welsh sport and entertainment were due to join the cricket star on different legs of the journey.

Teenage songstress Charlotte Church, batsman Matthew Maynard, boxer Joe Calzaghe, Helen Adams of Big Brother and Jamie Shaw from One True Voice were expected to accompany Botham for the Grande Finale in Newport next week.

"Last time we had more than 2,000 walkers in Cardiff on the last two miles. It would be good to think we can beat that," Botham said.

Rugby legends Gareth Edwards and Ieuan Evans, actor Matthew Rhys and entertainer Max Boyce were also expected to take part in the fundraising walk.

Botham said he had also invited Catherine Zeta-Jones to join the trek - as she did last time - but she was busy filming.

Having 'retired' from his charity walk exploits five times already, he insisted this would be his last trek as it was becoming logistically harder with more cars on the roads.

It is understood the Welsh Assembly is currently considering plans for a second phase for the hospital to include construction of operating theatres.

Chairman of the Noah's Ark Appeal Stanley Thomas said: "Only after the success of the first and second phases would we consider building similar hospitals in north and mid Wales."

.Dont

=Appeal Info Links=

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>>Read last year's feature