Tiverton trio in walk to honour late wives (From This is The West Country)

Tiverton trio in walk to honour late wives

2:00pm Saturday 16th March 2013 in Devon By Mid Devon Star Reporter

THREE friends from Tiverton will be enjoying a lad’s day out with a difference this weekend, honouring their late wives at Hospiscare’s 2013 Men’s Walk.

The trio who tragically lost their wives through terminal illnesses within a two-year period have been supporting each other since, holidaying together and regularly raising money for the Devon-based charity that cared for their wives during their final days.

Dave Stone, 67, and his two friends will be joined by their sons and son-in-laws in a team of 13 they have raised to support the Men’s Walk for the second year running.

More than 600 men attended the event last year, which consists of a 10k walk, starting and finishing at the Exeter Chiefs’ Sandy Park ground today (Saturday).

Dave said: “The three of us lost our wives within two years which was a real shock and we have been supporting each other since.

“The walk is an excellent idea because it’s fun packed, you have the walk, the rugby and the pasty. It’s good to get the crowd together and it’s a good atmosphere.”

Dave set up a memorial fund following the death of his wife Pauline in 2008 who died at the Exeter Hospice. The Men’s Walk raised over £60,000 for Hospiscare last year, helping the charity to continue to provide care to local people in Exeter, Mid and East Devon with terminal illnesses and their families.