An awareness walk held in memory of a Cheddar teenager attracted more than 60 people to take part in its first year.

Weston Mercury: The first SUDEP Action awareness walk, starting from the Grand Pier doing a one mile walk to Knightstone Island, around the lake and back. Picture: MARK ATHERTONThe first SUDEP Action awareness walk, starting from the Grand Pier doing a one mile walk to Knightstone Island, around the lake and back. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

The SUDEP Action walk saw 68 people walk from Weston’s Grand Pier to Marine Lake and back.

Participants handed out more than 60 leaflets and spoke to several people along the way about Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP).

Tanya Russell, who organised the walk in memory of her 17-year-old daughter Johdi who died in October last year, said she was ‘blown away’ by the turnout.

She added: “I feel I achieved what I set out to do.

Weston Mercury: The first SUDEP Action awareness walk, starting from the Grand Pier doing a one mile walk to Knightstone Island, around the lake and back. Picture: MARK ATHERTONThe first SUDEP Action awareness walk, starting from the Grand Pier doing a one mile walk to Knightstone Island, around the lake and back. Picture: MARK ATHERTON (Image: Archant)

“It brought people together with the same thinking – to spread awareness of the dark side of epilepsy and to speak of SUDEP.”

A SUDEP Action deputy chief executive officer, Samantha Ashby, said: “Following this year’s SUDEP Action Day (October 23), some of the charity’s supporters took part in awareness walks over the weekend in London and Weston, raising vital awareness of epilepsy risks, SUDEP/epilepsy deaths, in memory of their loved ones.

The sense of community in people sharing that time together was both inspiring and moving.

“SUDEP Action, alongside our fantastic supporters, fight to prevent many of the potentially avoidable epilepsy deaths happening daily across the UK, and are the only UK organization dedicated to support families who have lost a loved one to epilepsy. Events held by our supporters can make a big difference and help us in this fight.”

Her next event will be the Purple Ball which will take place at the pier on March 2 at 7pm.

Tickets, priced £350-420 for a table of 10 or 12, are available from tanyard39@icloud.com or on 07376 066739.