MORE than 40 Brentwood postmen put their best foot forward and walked nearly 20 miles to raise money in honour of a critically ill teenager.
Jim Benton, 17, and his brother Joe, 16, were both rushed to hospital when the motorbike they were riding crashed into the central island barrier in Wood View Road, Grays.
Joe has been discharged from hospital and escaped with just a fractured knee but Jim, who was taken to hospital by air ambulance, remains in critical condition.
Their father, Jamie Benton, is a postman so his colleague Danny Att field arranged for the Brentwood posties to do a sponsored walk to raise money for the Essex Air Ambulance, London Air Ambulance and the Sick Children’s Trust.
A post on a fundraising web page set up for the event reads: “Joe and Jim Benton were involved in an accident on the April 12.
"Both air ambulances were called to the scene and Jim was flown to the Royal London hospital where he continues to fight for his life.
“Joe is making a good recovery. His parents accommodation is being provided by the Sick Children’s Trust.
“We will be walking from Brentwood delivery office to the Royal London Hospital.”
Michael Tattum, delivery office manager, took part in the walk, which ran between the Brentwood sorting office in St Thomas Road to the Royal London Hospital on Sunday, May 15.
He said: “We managed to push six of our delivery trolleys all the way between us but we raised more than £7,000.
"It was great to be a part of something the postman of Brentwood arranged to do on behalf of their colleague who is in need, and was nice to be a part of the day.”
Donations can be made via crowdfunding.justgiving.com/commisaris-attfieldvandervalk
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