About Midnight Sleep Walk

The eight mile walk will start at midnight on Friday 30 April with an inspiring lap of the Millennium Stadium before heading outside and meandering your way through the city centre towards the bay and back again.

Walking with your family, friends and over a 1,000 women willing to give up a night's sleep, you will get to see some of Cardiff's wonderful city centre scenery and architecture at night.

The walk will take between 2.5hrs and 3.5hrs to complete at a normal walking pace, so you will be back at the Millennium Stadium no later than 3.30am Saturday morning.

Rest assured you will not get lost as 100s of marshals will be there to direct you along the route.

It's going to be a truly memorable evening and Helen Shackell, from Bridgend, has her fingers crossed in the hope that you are willing to give up a night's sleep to help her. She can't remember what it's like to go to bed and she is really looking forward to a full night's sleep.

This only happens when Helen's seven year old son Matthew goes to Tŷ Hafan.

Matthew was born prematurely at 32 weeks and spent the first eleven months of his life in hospital. He has cerebral palsy and chronic lung disease and has been spending time at Tŷ Hafan since he was four.

Although Matthew is not able to walk, he likes to be very active and loves to move around the floor by pushing with his feet. He is a very determined little boy who tries to do many things that sadly his body won't allow him to do. In order to make sure he doesn't injure himself in the process he needs someone with him constantly.

He also loves to move around his bed and has a specially adapted cocoon to keep him safe at night, although he has to be quite closely monitored as he has been known to throw himself out of it.

"Matthew is a very special, happy and contented child but he does need to be watched at all times" said Helen, who is the main provider of the high level of care that he needs.

"Although he does go off to sleep at night I am aware that he could wake at any time so I suppose I always have half an ear open, listening in case he needs me".

"When he goes to Tŷ Hafan I get the chance to have a good night's rest knowing that someone will be sitting with him and making sure he is OK".

Help Helen by registering for the Midnight Sleep Walk now.