Star from Westbury back NICU walk (From Wiltshire Times)

Star from Westbury back NICU walk

10:44am Friday 28th August 2009 in Westbury By James Williams

Stars of the music industry have pledged their support to a dad from Westbury who has been walking from Wiltshire to London this week in aid of the hospital baby unit which saved his daughter’s life.

Folk artist Leander Morales, who played Glastonbury Festival with his musical partner Jon Watts in June, left his home in Westbury on Friday and will be arriving at Trafalgar Square later today.

During the 117-mile walk he has played seven gigs in the hope of raising £5,000 for a new neo-natal unit at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, where his daughter, Alana, five, was cared for when she was born 10 weeks premature in 2004.

He said: “We’ve had a great deal of support and ironically we’ve had more support the further we’ve walked away from Bath – probably because people can appreciate how far we’ve come.

“We played the Falmouth Arms in Woolhampton near Reading, which was the pub’s closing night, and someone kindly donated £200.

“The worst part of the walk was on Sunday from Pewsey to Hungerford but it’s getting easier every day – next year we’ll do Paris.”

Mr Morales has been joined by six friends during different stages of the walk and today he will be joined by Colnbrook Football Club, near Slough, for the last 21 miles into central London.

So far he has raised more than £2,500 and is hoping to add to the total at a music raffle at Marston House in Marston Bigot, near Frome, on October 18, where lots include a signed guitar by Status Quo and Michael Eavis, and signed Sophie Ellis Bextor memorabilia.

Mr Morales added: “Michael Eavis was really happy to endorse the event and signed the guitar from Status Quo, which the band also signed. I’m now on David Gray’s case to try and get a signed acoustic guitar.”

To donate or find out about the raffle visit www.justgiving.com/sunshinewalk.