Family of the late Doreen Langham joined locals in the Walk for Doreen to remember her life and reflect on changes needed to better help victims of domestic and family violence.
Mrs Langham was killed when her unit was set on fire by her ex-partner in February 2021 with both of them inside.
On 17 September this year, locals joined Mrs Langham’s daughter Shayne Probert and granddaughters Alyssia and Amelia Probert in the second annual Walk for Doreen, setting out from Beaudesert Pool to walk 5km in her honour.
Many walkers wore blue ‘Run Against Violence’ shirts and pops of purple – Doreen’s favourite colour.
The Walk for Doreen rounded out local participation in the Run Against Violence virtual team challenge, which went from 30 August to 17 September and is said to be the largest and longest virtual team challenge in the world.
Dozens of local walkers and runners in teams ‘Go Go Girls plus Zac and Aaron’ and ‘Run, Walk Repeat’ clocked up 1300km in 19 days – the equivalent of Broken Hill to Sydney – to raise awareness of family violence.
When several locals did the Walk for Doreen, they also gathered at breakfast to hear from Mrs Probert about the changes she and her sister Tabitha Bleys are helping make with Queensland Police Service (QPS), after losing their mum to domestic violence.
Mrs Probert told the Beaudesert Bulletin the walk was deeply meaningful to her.
“When I think about the walk and the fact that our group does the 5kms in honour of mum it warms my heart,” she said.
“Mum touched so many people’s lives that I sometimes forget how many people her death has had an impact on.
“I am working with QPS to get the changes that are needed to better help victims of domestic and family violence. QPS are rolling out 3-day training packages, which have started now, in relation to domestic and family violence. The passion in the people who have done up the training packages shows just how much QPS are trying to better their wrongs in mum’s case.”
