Following the culmination of their heroic hike in April, the walkers are delighted to announce they’ve raised a fantastic £13,120 – an extremely stretching target, but one that our supporters, friends and families helped them reach to make this the most successful challenge in our six year history!
With £1,000 being donated to the Supporters’ Club away travel fund, the remaining amount raised will be distributed equally to the walkers’ three chosen beneficiaries, CanalAbility, Little Edi Foundation and Providence Row, so they can continue their amazing work for people in need.
Lead organiser Jon Read said, “This was probably the toughest challenge the boys have faced, with an extra day’s hiking on top of the norm, plus terrain that would test any athlete let alone a disparate group of lads all shapes and sizes. I’m so proud that everyone pulled together to hit our revised target, which means so much to our beneficiaries, and we can’t wait to hear about it being put to great use for the local community. From the top of The Great Orme, looking down the steep rocky outcrop towards the Bristol Channel, the lads fought through blisters, arthritic joints, sleep deprivation, severe weather, crazy ascents and descents, but worse still, Tommy Vickers’ karaoke efforts. We are eternally grateful to our network of supporters, sponsors and the CCFC community for allowing us the pleasure of completing this challenge.”
The walkers at the finishing line at Chippenham Town!
In a statement, Providence Row explained: “The incredible donation by the walkers and their generous supporters will help continue our services in advice and support, substance use, psychotherapy, employability and far more. Homelessness is a crisis which requires individual work and attention for everyone who comes through our doors and donations such as these ensure our clients can rely on us throughout the year.
“Last year we supported over one and a half thousand people in a time where they needed support and hope, each of those people may have had nowhere else to turn in that time if not for continued donations. The change being made is tangible thanks to the banding together of people with common goals. Thank you for having Jasper with your team & thank you for your generosity and determination!”
CanalAbility are a charity also looking forward to an exciting future, building on their valuable work with a well-established client list of beneficiaries; they presently have a new electric boat on order to help upgrade the facilities they can offer, and the money raised from the walk will doubtless come in very handy to help with the fit-out costs once this vessel is delivered.
Doreen Goodall, general manager of CanalAbility, remarked, “What an amazing amount of money you raised and how lucky we are to have been one of your chosen charities to benefit from all your efforts.”
“May I please ask you again to pass on our enormous gratitude to all members of the group that took part in the challenge.”