Aaron Timms
Now 40 years old and looking forwards to my second HWW.
(Proud to know the Grecians and lucky to use Gallowglass
in my work - a big fan!)
I have been busy running my own business known as
Leading Edge (a design, management and build company
specialising in Exhibitions and Events) for 14 years which
has taken me on a wonderful journey around
the world for
a variety of great clients creating everything from Marvin
the Martian Rocket ships in Las Vegas to launching Harry
Potter movies for Warner Bros in London and a lots of
exhibition, event stuff in between.
Before this I was lucky enough to live in California, before
that Stratford-Upon-Avon, before that Eastbourne, before
that I was born on the Wirral. My Family are all from Twickenham, Richmond area (good rugby heritage based on the fact that we had a great big rugby stadium nearby) and I have a painting of my Great Great Great Great Grand Father who was a Head Water Boatman to the Royal Family hanging in Syon House (this didn’t come to light until I was approx 25 yrs old)
I live in Eastbourne (the end of this years walk) with my wife Nadia and two boys, Henry (6) and Elliott (4). It is Elliott that has given me the will to do this walk. He was born profoundly deaf and was the first baby to be picked up in our local screening programme by the health visitor. He had hearing aids fitted at 11 weeks old. We joined a variety of help groups to find out more and one of these was the NDCS. We even made front cover of their magazine! We saw first hand what a charity can achieve and Nadia put her name down to walk the ‘Great Wall of China’. She had a great time and raised £3000.00 also achieving something personally by putting in some serious training especially as she wasn’t into walking or gyms etc.
Amazingly after two years of research and the help from Great Ormond Street we discovered that our son has a very rare form of hearing loss. He now appears to have what most would say is normal hearing and has speech just like a normal 3 year old; this is without any hearing aids or operations.
Some other stuff – in the past I’ve been a triathlete (when I was 20 and recently entered for my next event at the end of May 2010), a racing cyclist, a swimmer, a rugby player, a rower, an archer, a martial artist and a clay pigeon shooter! I like watching motor sport and go to Le Mans every now and then. Love all sorts of music, movies and read the odd book. Most of the activities stopped when I started the business many years ago. Now the boys are older and the business is established I’m down the gym 5 days a week getting ready for this years events.
This walk will be my 2nd biggest challenge EVER since last year and once again looking forward to being part of a great team of individuals, for a great cause!
