Unsual fundraising event sees zombies walk through Hartlepool town centre

Hartlepool Zombie Walk leaving the Royal Navy Museum on Saturday.

The quirky fundraising event organised by Kate Barratt, saw around 25 zombies walk through Hartlepool town centre to raise cash for schoolboy Tyler Stokoe.

The 13-year-old from The Green, in Hartlepool, has cerebal palsy and needs to raise £3,500 for a specially-adapted wheelchair that will allow him to go onto the beach with his family for the first time.

The event, which took place on Saturday, saw the dedicated group of fundraisers walk from the Maritime Experience museum on Marina Way in Hartlepool into the town centre, before finishing up at King John Tavern for refreshments and a raffle.

Along the way the zombies shook collection buckets to raise an impressive total of £140 for the cause ‘Tyler’s Wish.’

Kate Barratt, 34, one of the walk’s organisers, said she was delighted with the success of the walk this year.

She said: “This year the event was held to raise funds for a cause called Taylor’s Wish.

Zombies walk in Hartlepool on Saturday with the proceeds going to Tyler Stokoe (front) pictured with family and orgniser Kate Barrett before the walk.

“Taylor is a young boy with cerebral palsy and needs to raise funds for a wheelchair which will allow him to go on the beach.

“The walk first started back in 2012 and every year we do the walk for a different local charity. “In the past we have raised £400 for Bradley Lowery, £300 for the NHS and £300 for the Denise Taylor Cancer Trust.

“There was around 25 zombies taking part this year and it was a fantastic day.

“We has an absolutely brilliant time and people kept taking photos of us along the way, which was fantastic.

“We managed to raise £140 towards Tyler’s chair and we still have more funds to come in from the raffle at the end of this month.

“Tyler’s family now think they have enough money from this event and others they have held to buy the chair, which is great.”

Regular participant Joanne Woolhouse, 31, from Kipling Road, Hartlepool, was at the event with her daughter Jessica Folland, six. She said: “I decided to take part because it is for charity and I absolutely love zombies.

“It is a really fun event and it’s nice to see everyone come together for a good cause.”