A BOY from near Conwy walked at least 10,000 steps each day from March 1 to April 2 for the third time in a fundraising effort to support autism projects across the UK and Ireland.

Matthew Lokier, 17, from Rowen, has a diagnosis of autism, and traits of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

He completed the Walk for Autism 2024 challenge, which also aims to improve the quality of life of people with autism, by walking 452,084 steps during this 33-day period.

In doing so, Matthew raised a total of £809.

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Matthew’s mother, Anwen, said: “He always makes me proud anyway, but to actually want to do it, and to then do it… even now he walks around and says: ‘I’m doing my steps!’

“I think, if it went on all through the year, he’d be quite happy to keep doing it.

“The fact that he’s raising money for other people, and really wants to do it, makes me a big, proud mum.”

Matthew joined thousands of people across the UK and Ireland who also walked 10,000 steps a day between March 26 and April 2 for the Walk for Autism.

But he chose to start his own steps challenge more than three weeks earlier on March 1, to mark Autism Awareness Day.

He completed the same challenge last year, but walked more steps and raise more money in 2024, having managed 303,011 steps and raised £743 in 2023.

These funds have supported thousands of autistic individuals and funded many projects, which encourage the pursuit of specialised interests, promote physical activity and help autistic adults and children to socialise in supportive communities.

The organisation behind Walk for Autism, Autism Initiatives, was founded in the 1970s by Pat Minshull, a dedicated mother of a child with autism.