Roz's 25 mile Charity Walk

25-mile Charity Walk in and around Arundel

Why did I undertake this walk?

For several years, my husband, Paul, was a Samaritan, and in 2016, the Cornwall branch hosted the National Samaritans Walk. This gave me the appetite to walk a marathon once a year, and I have been doing this every year since.
Initially, I raised funds for the Truro Branch.

However, following Paul's retirement from being a listening Samaritan (we still stay in touch with some members of the organisation). We know that The National Walk continues, and it is a lovely way to explore different parts of the Country (on foot)!

So, this year, and after missing last year due to the passing of my father (97 years old), we resumed our venture. The Worthing Branch hosted the walk, and off to Arundel Football Club, we went.

The Walk

There were two routes, 13 and 25 miles, so of course, I chose to walk the longer of the two, with Paul doing the shorter one. Thankfully, the weather was kind to us, as the skies were covered in high clouds, and the temperature was about 19° C. We kicked off the walk at 8.30 am, with proceedings opened by Radio Two newsreader Adam Porter.

The route followed the River Arun inland towards Amberleigh (northwards), and then along the South Downs Way, with views North of planes approaching Gatwick, and to the South, we enjoyed beautiful coastal views of the sea, including lots of wind turbines. The scenery was different to the walks I do around the Cornish countryside.

At the last checkpoint at Burham, I was almost ready to give up. My feet were sore with blisters, mainly from an arduous area that led me through the woods of Angmering Park, where the surface was either dryish mud or a made-up road. Well, after a lovely refreshing cup of tea and attention to the blisters, I thankfully completed the last three miles - which again followed the River Arun back to the Football club. I finished at about 6.30 pm. 

Raising Funds    

Thanks to kind contributions from my supporters, I have now received over £610 for Age UK via the Justgiving donation page, and I also received about £70 in cash. The cash donations have been donated to TAP (Transport Access People), whom I volunteer for twice a week - driving those who need transport for medical appointments, social trips, etc. This is an essential transport service for local communities, as it helps maintain independence and social connections.
Next time out, I will try to raise money for the Cornwall Branch Of Age UK.