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Meet the Hampton father and son walking the Thames for Cancer Research

Community news on behalf of Source to Sea Challenge | 26 August 2026

10-year-old Hampton local Ellis Kent and his father, Matt, are walking the entire length of the Thames Path - 185 miles from the source of the river to the Thames Barrier, of course passing through Richmond upon Thames, to raise £50,000 for Cancer Research UK.

If Ellis completes the walk, he'll become the youngest known person to ever finish the Thames Path end-to-end in a single continuous challenge, a world-record-level achievement for a child!

The challenge is deeply personal for Ellis and Matt. Three years ago, Ellis lost his much-loved granny, Barbara Sutherland, to pancreatic cancer. Barbara was a huge part of Ellis's life - always cheering him on, encouraging his adventures, and reminding him that he could achieve anything he set his mind to.

Walking the Thames Path is their way of honouring her memory while raising money for research that could help other families facing cancer. Supporting Cancer Research UK means supporting hope - hope for earlier diagnosis, better treatments, and more time with the people we love.

The challenge also has a strong connection to the borough, as Ellis lives in Hampton and goes to school in Teddington - and they'll be passing through their home area on 1 September.

There are a number of ways to support Ellis' challenge:

Find out more about the challenge and Ellis' story.

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Up to: August 2026

Updated: 26 August 2026

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