A team from a Wrexham-based business is set to tackle a mammoth 40-mile fundraising trek in aid of a much-loved colleague diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
The group from Riello UPS, which manufacturers uninterruptible power supplies and standby generators, will walk from their head office on Wrexham Industrial Estate to Port Vale Football Club’s famous Vale Park stadium in Burslem, Staffordshire, with all proceeds going to the MND Association.
The charity challenge is a show of solidarity for Peter Walthall, who has worked at the business for more than 11 years. Peter, who is aged 58 and lives in Cheadle, Staffordshire, was diagnosed with MND in December 2024, but with the support of Riello UPS is continuing in his role as Project Manager for as long as he is able.
The walk’s final destination of Vale Park is a particularly poignant one for Peter, who has been a passionate fan of Port Vale for more than 50 years, including more than 20 years as a season ticket holder.
An intrepid group of Riello UPS employees are undertaking the full 40-mile sponsored walk, which they will split over two days with an overnight camp stay. But many more of Peter’s teammates, family, and friends will join this main group at various points along the route in a ‘Riello UPS Relay’ to show their support.
They will conclude their walk to tie in with Port Vale’s League One home fixture with Mansfield Town on Saturday 20 September.
Colleagues of Peter who work out of Riello UPS’s other regional branches in Letchworth (Hertfordshire), Fareham (Hampshire), and Cumbernauld (Glasgow) are also set to join in with the fundraising, even if they can’t take part in the main walk itself. Each office is laying on a treadmill so that staff can complete the equivalent distance.
Leo Craig, Managing Director of Riello UPS Ltd, said:
“Peter is a hugely popular and well-respected part of our team, and his MND diagnosis came as a huge shock to us all. But what doesn’t surprise us is the determination that he and his family have shown in facing the disease head-on, it’s a mark of the man that we have come to know and love over the years.
“The MND Association have offered Peter and his wife Tracey invaluable advice and assistance over recent months. The work they do is vital for so many families across the country impacted by MND and it’s why we’re proud to support them as our Charity of the Year for 2025.
“We’d also like to pay tribute to Port Vale Football Club, they’ve really gone above and beyond to assist with our walk and we really do appreciate their amazing support.
“And while our team certainly has a challenge on their hands walking from Wrexham to Port Vale, we’re more than sure they will be up to the task and hope they’ll raise lots of money along the way.”
For further details about the Riello UPS ‘Power Walk For Peter’ fundraiser for the MND Association and to donate visit https://riello.uk/mnda
