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Ilkeston Town to take on 50-mile charity walk for local cancer charity



Ahead of the club's final away game of the Northern Premier League season, a group of supporters and club officials from Ilkeston Town are taking on a special 50-mile walk, in aid of local charity Ben's Den. The challenge will begin on Friday 17 April, with more than 40 individuals walking overnight from Ilkeston to Stocksbridge, where the Robins take on Park Steels at Bracken Moor.  The charity walk follows the success of last year's Ilkeston Town charity bike ride, which saw more than 90 miles covered during a seven-hour trip which took them to Skegness, raising more than £8,000 for Ben's Den.  
Bens Den has been the club's chosen charity for many years. A dedicated children’s charity based in Ilkeston, Ben's Den was set up in memory of Ben Parker, who sadly passed away in 2003 following a battle with leukaemia. The aim of the charity is to support the families of children fighting leukaemia or cancer, by gifting them a free holiday and allowing them to spend much needed quality family time together, away from an overwhelming hospital environment. 
Paul Depadova, one of the individuals organising this year's charity challenge, said: "The bike ride really inspired us as a football club, and further cemented an already tight group of members. "We shared laughs and stories throughout all the 90+ miles to Skegness, and later shared a few aches and pains and a few beers!  "To see so many supporters greeting us in Skegness was really humbling and something I will not forget.  
 "Having raised over £8,000 we all said we must do something again. We ask so much from our community, and this is a way of returning something to a charity we all so love." The route will see participants pushed to their limit, all while taking in some stunning Peak District scenery. If you'd like to support their challenge, click here to leave a donation.