A FOUNDING organiser of Newton Abbot’s Christian Aid charity walk will have this year’s 50th anniversary event named after him.

The Sydney Williams Memorial Walk will take place at Newton Abbot racecourse on May 20 with a maximum 10-mile hike around the track.

Organisers are appealing to walkers who have taken part in the annual fundraiser in the past to join them for the special commemoration – and they would love to welcome newcomers of all ages to join in.

Walkers can attempt as many laps as they wish between 9.30am and 12.30pm on the day with a maximum of eight laps.

Musicians from Coombeshead Academy will accompany the walk. Catering and other facilities will be available on-site.

Attending the opening ceremony will be the chairman of Teignbridge Council, mayors of Newton Abbot and Kingsteignton, the Newton Abbot town crier, a local church minister and a representative from Christian Aid.

Organiser Graham Wickham said: ‘Sydney Williams’ passion ensured that the Newton Abbot walk is a calendar event in the town and area’s diary.

‘It has seen hundreds of schoolchildren stand up for others living in much more difficult circumstances than their own.

‘We want the 50th walk to be a real tribute to Sydney’s legacy and to send out a clear message that our community cares about those who are living in hunger, fleeing violence, or struggling against a changing climate.’

He added: ‘We would love to hear from adults who did the walk when they were schoolchildren – and even better, invite them to come along, perhaps with their own children or possibly grandchildren.

‘We will be going into schools over the coming months, just as Sydney did, to try to make this next walk one he would be proud of.’

The walk, which began as a 12-mile walk to Teignmouth and back, has been held at Decoy Park in recent years. But this spring it will return to its long-time home at the racecourse.

The walk raised £613 in its first year, leaping to last year’s total of £4,406.30. Over the half-century it has raised more than £367,000 to tackle poverty around the world.

Sydney Williams, a woodwork teacher at Newton Abbot Grammar School, initiated the charity trek after being asked to join the Commonwealth Expedition across Europe and the Middle East to India. The invite came on the back of his experience in training pupils for the Ten Tors.

Sydney, who died in 2010 at the age of 82, saw the conditions of families living in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, and was inspired for the rest of his life to fight against poverty and injustice.

He went on to lead the walk for 42 years.

His widow, Dorothy, who will be 90 in March and still lives in the town, said: ‘The expedition opened Sydney’s eyes. He came back determined to help and the enthusiasm never left him.

‘The adults had Lent lunches and he was asked if he could do something to help the young people raise money, so he organised the walk.

‘Because he was a teacher, headteachers were happy to invite him into their schools – and Sydney would take around artefacts from the expedition and inspire children to take part.

‘It began as a 12-mile walk to encourage people to give a shilling in sponsorship when there were 12 pennies in a shilling. Sydney would still be doing it if he could.

‘The family are very proud of him.’