A BALSALL Common family have been crowned as Cure Parkinson’s Fundraising Team of the Year.
Sally and Richard Franck, who live in the village, and their adult sons Callum and Jamie were given the title by the charity which celebrates fundraisers who have gone above and beyond to support their vital Parkinson’s research.
Cure Parkinson’s is a charity close to the family as Sally was diagnosed with Parkinson’s six years ago.
At the time of diagnosis, Sally’s consultant advised her to “keep moving” to help manage her symptoms, and she really took those words to heart by tackling numerous impressive, multi-day hikes for charity, including along Hadrian’s Wall and Offa’s Dyke.
Last year Sally and Richard took on Alfred Wainright’s famous Coast to Coast route, walking 192 miles over 14 days from St Bees Head, Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorkshire.
The couple were joined by family and friends for stretches of the walk, helping to raise over £15,500 to be split equally between Cure Parkinson’s and Parkinson’s UK.
Sally said: “Wainwright’s Coast to Coast path is pretty demanding, especially the first few days through the Lake District and the last couple of days across the Yorkshire Moors.
“Some early mornings, waking with severe cramps and wondering how I could get through the day with aching limbs and insufficient sleep were real downtimes. But just getting your boots on and getting out into the fresh air, with friends, provided all we needed to sweep negative thoughts away.
“We put in a great deal of time training – having a goal is brilliant at focusing your attention – and we couldn’t have done it without the support of family and friends who came to walk with us, bringing us cake, clean clothes and great company.”
Shortly after completing the Coast to Coast, the family supported Cure Parkinson’s Walk To Cure Parkinson’s fundraising campaign, helping to promote the challenge within their community and recording video messages of encouragement for the charity’s social media channels.
More recently, Callum and Jamie picked up the fundraising baton by running the 2026 TCS London Marathon, with Callum running for Cure Parkinson’s and Jamie representing Parkinson’s UK. Together they raised over £9,000.
Helen Matthews, Cure Parkinson’s chief executive, said: “Sally and her family have truly gone the extra mile, from taking on their own walking challenge and running the London Marathon, to helping promote our campaigns.
“Sally’s commitment to tackling such impressive walking challenges whilst living with Parkinson’s is truly inspirational, and it’s heartwarming to see her whole family get involved with raising funds and awareness too. Their support has been phenomenal, and we cannot thank them enough.”
