DRWF Fundraising: Sun, sea, ships and ice cream enjoyed on historic seafront for Diabetes Dawdle
Charity supporters and families with diabetes enjoy second annual fundraising stroll around Southsea seafront.
The third annual DRWF Diabetes Dawdle made great strides – helping to raise £3,746.20 to support valuable charity research and educational work.
This year the walk was enjoyed by 47 people, including people with diabetes, their families and friends and a few dogs joining in for two routes along the seafront of Portsmouth.
Those taking part in the walk setting off from Old Portsmouth were treated to a fantastic view as the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier was leaving the harbour for major exercises in the North Sea.
DRWF supporters joined crowds of well-wishers at the waterside to wave off the 65,000-tonne warship and her crew as they set off from the Prince’s Royal Jetty from the HM Naval Base.
All those taking part in the walk received a welcome pack and T-shirt and – on completion of the walk – a medal.
Our flagship Portsmouth walk offered two fully signed coastal routes of either 4 or 7 miles, starting from Spice Island Inn in Old Portsmouth and taking in many sights across the historic Southsea seafront, including the Round Tower, Southsea Castle, South Parade Pier and fantastic views across the Solent on what was a beautifully sunny day for the occasion.
Tim Green, Head of Community Fundraising at DRWF, said: “I was thrilled to be able to host another Diabetes Dawdle in Portsmouth. This event has become a staple in the fundraising calendar and offers a fantastic opportunity for supporters, of which many were families, to come together and walk in aid of a different future.
“We were blessed with fantastic weather throughout the day with many of our walkers stopping for a halfway ice cream before setting off to complete the second half of the walk. All walkers are asked to pledge £50, as we pledge to support children, young people and their families across the UK living with all types of diabetes and to ensure we can continue delivering on our research and educational commitments.
“I am already looking forward to growing this event in 2025 – and welcoming more families and walkers.”
Among those taking part in the Diabetes Dawdle was the Fowler family, whose six-year-old son Jessie was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in August last year.
Members of Jessie’s family, including parents Rickie and Liz also took part in last year’s inaugural Dawdle soon after Jessie’s diagnosis.
The family saw the event advertised on social media. They have since also participated in the DRWF online Camp in the Cloud virtual activities for young people living with the condition and their families.
Jessie was aged five at the time of his diagnosis, after his parents took him to see a GP as he was urinating frequently, one of the symptoms of the condition.
Liz, Jessie’s mother, said: “We took Jessie to the doctors where he had his finger pricked and it just said ‘high’ on the reading, so we had to take him to a hospital where he spent the whole night and had other tests.
“Jessie’s father and I put a lot of blame on ourselves, like what have we done wrong? It was just not very nice. It was really hard to accept that your child was now living with type 1 diabetes, having to have four injections a day.
“The diagnosis had a massive impact on us as a family and Jessie was struggling really badly emotionally.”
The family soon found supportive healthcare and improved technology helped adjust to the changes brought on by the diagnosis.
Liz said: “Jessie’s diabetes specialist nurse is really good. When he was first diagnosed, she would come to our house weekly.
“We didn’t get a lot of support about how to cope. Myself and Jessie’s father looked up a lot of information and self-taught ourselves how we could deal with it. We taught ourselves how important it is to be quite strict with the food that we let Jessie eat and things like that.”
Liz had some experience of type 1 diabetes in the family as her grandmother was diagnosed with the condition. However, with few other children around with the condition – no one at Jessie’s school – there has been a lot of learning and understanding from teachers and classmates.
Liz said: “My nan had type 1 diabetes from the age of 21, so growing up I was around type 1 diabetes.
“When we contacted DRWF about taking part in events, Jessie was sent a whole box of goodies, which he absolutely loved. The kids loved the activities camp we attended.
“We don’t know anyone else with a child with diabetes and as Jessie is the only child in his whole school with the condition, where there are 400 children, he feels singled out a lot.”
However, the family report positive improvements of Jessie’s management of the condition, since beginning to use a new insulin pump earlier in the year.
Lis said: “Jessie’s blood glucose levels are amazing. It has been so much better with the insulin pump. We’re on the ball. We support him and make sure that that he has got the best and we do the best for him and make sure that he is a healthy little boy.”
On living with type 1 diabetes, Jessie said: “It stops me eating yummy things that I want to eat.”
Although he did enjoy an ice cream while on the Diabetes Dawdle and added that when he is older, he will be able to take part in the longer 7-mile route.
Diabetes Dawdle 2025
Next year’s Diabetes Dawdle will take place on Saturday, 27th September. Sign up now with the code ‘EARLYBIRD’ to receive a 50% discount off registration here
Find out more about fundraising for DRWF here
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