Father paddles with pals in son’s memory

A MAN from Nettlebed has travelled 125km by canoe to raise more than £6,000 for charity in memory of his son.

Seth Cornfield paddled the Great Glen Way trail, which runs from Fort William to Inverness, Scotland, in aid of Helen and Douglas House, a children’s hospice based in Oxford.

Mr Cornfield and friends Tom Edwards and Ryan van de Mark, also from Nettlebed, completed the challenge over four days in September.

His son Elliot died of leukaemia in 2015 and the hospice charity cared for him in his final days and supported his family through their loss.

Mr Cornfield decided to mark the 10th anniversary of Elliot’s death by taking on a “fantastic challenge”. He said: “Sleeping under the stars was a perfect way to remember an awesome soul who showed us all how to battle and live life to the full.

“Elliot spent his final days at Helen and Douglas House, where both he and we as a family were supported by an amazing team.

“The care and support they provided allowed Elliot to pass in peace surrounded by love. Knowing Helen and Douglas House were there to hold us up allowed our family to make and take away precious final memories.

“We learned that we could and would go on to cope as a family while always knowing Elliot is a part of everything we do. For that we are so thankful. Helen and Douglas House continue to work tirelessly to care and support children and families and I urge everyone to help in whatever capacity you feel you can.

“It was a fantastic challenge to support an amazing charity in memory of my superhero. Thank you to everyone who supported us. Your kindness and generosity drove us through the wind and rain when we needed it most.

“Also, a massive thank-you to two amazing friends for sharing an experience I will never forget.”

Mr Edwards said: “Canoeing the 125km Great Glen Trail was an epic adventure — we faced wind, rain and even the odd burst of sunshine, but loved every minute.  It was made even more meaningful knowing we were raising money for such a wonderful cause.”

Mr van de Mark said: ”We knew canoeing 125km up the Caledonian canal was going to be challenging but with the gales and torrential rain it was even more so.

“But some spectacular rainbows appeared though to buoy us to complete what was an incredibly rewarding challenge for a truly worthy cause.”

Andrea Baganz-Pritchard, fundraising manager at Helen and Douglas House, said: “We would like to say a massive thank-you to Seth, Tom and Ryan for taking on this amazing challenge for us. 

“We need to raise more than £6m a year and people taking on challenges like this will help us raise money to support more families like Seth’s.”