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Ilkley friends complete Reiki Ramble for Val

Friday, 8 May 2026 11:14

A group of Ilkley friends have completed a fundraising walk, Reiki Ramble 4 Val, to support a friend who was paralysed after a terrible car crash.

Physiotherapist Val Jones has resided in hospital since June 2025 when she was the victim of a terrible car crash and paralysed from the neck down. Val is awaiting the adaptation of her home so that she can finally leave the spinal injuries unit after 11 months and return home with all the care and equipment that she needs.

Lois Skilleter, a reiki master from Ilkley, organised the sponsored walk with Jan Hill. The ramblers walked the full 32 miles of the Yorkshire coast from Runswick Bay to Scarborough North Bay over the three days at the start of May.

Wearing their “Pink Lady” tabards, they generated interest as they walked a combination of the coastal path and the old railway line, promoting Val’s fundraiser and obtaining sponsorship from the incredibly generous people they met.

Val Jones said:

“I can’t believe the grit and determination of you Yorkshire folk! Not all heroes wear capes, some wear pink tabards!”

To date, they have raised well over £2500 and are hoping they might make it to £3000. Adaptations to Val’s home has now started.

Lois said she is ‘over the moon to have raised so much money for Val’, adding:

"After a lot of miles practising on Ilkley and Middleton moors and by the river, I was happy to have the level of fitness required to meet the challenge."

Grateful Val thanks everyone who donated, praising the kindness of strangers, whom she now calls her friends.

The link to donate to Val is https://www.gofundme.com/f/val-jones-journey-to-home and if you’re able to add “RR” in the surname box, it helps Val’s family to identify the donations given via the Reiki Ramble!

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