Walking for helicopter

LED by Ballina's Golden Girl, former Olympic walker Kerry Saxby-Junna, more than 500 people will this Sunday, May 20, take part in the inaugural Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter charity walk from Ballina.

Three-hundred of the 545 walkers will trek the entire 37km distance to Byron Bay, while 200 will walk the first 12km leg to Lennox Head.

The distance to Lennox won't be a problem for former helicopter patient Sheila Aveling, from Tintenbar, and her three team-mates, who walk about 15km three times a week.

Sheila organised a walk from Tintenbar to Lismore on the 20th anniversary of the lifesaving helicopter service - the latest walk will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the service, which had its roots with the Ballina Lighthouse and Lismore Surf Life Saving Club.

Sheila, as a mature mum, was transported by the helicopter from Lismore to Brisbane in 1991when she went into labour eight-and-a-half weeks prematurely.

She has been supporting the helicopter ever since.

"People (patients) say thank you," she said.

"But we thought it would be nice to raise some money for the helicopter."

The walk will start at Missingham Park, Ballina, at 7am, and is sponsored by Woollam Constructions.

Thirteen people will be running the 37km to the Byron Bay surf club.

Registrations for the event closed several weeks ago. The helicopter will do a fly over at 7am on the day.