Walking 100km to raise £4000 to build a school in Africa

Latest News - November 2007

27th November: First postcard bought! We are really excited that within 24 hours of creating our new Receive a Postcard idea someone has taken up our offer and will be receiving a special, limited edition postcard sent from our challenge route. Many thanks to that supporter. Now who will be next?

26th November: Receive a Postcard. We've created a new sponsorship opportunity on the website. If you donate £5 through Paypal we will send supporters a limited edition Walking For Africa postcard sent from a postbox on our challenge route. Just click on 'Receive a Postcard' on the menu.

We've also created some functionality to allow visitors to leave us an encouraging message. Just click on 'Your Messages' on the menu.

25th November: The Kent Messenger printed a piece about us in the local news section. We also heard from the Border Telegraph, the local paper for Melrose, that they would like to run a piece about us nearer the time of the event.

23rd November: Williams Medical Supplies have offered to support us by providing first aid kits for both of us. We are very grateful for their sponsorship in this way.

20th November: David Cameron, MP, and Leader of the Opposition, very kindly took time out of his busy schedule to write to us, saying...

"I am delighted to lend my support to the work of Peter Farrington, Chris Irons and Walking for Africa. We all have a shared responsibility for our shared future - for our neighbours, for our country and for our planet. Whether it’s helping people on the other side of the street or the other side of the world, we all have a vital role to play. That is what social responsibility is all about.

Walking for Africa is a great way to put these principles into practice. Raising money to support the work of Build Africa, in helping to build a school in rural East Africa, will mean more young people can realise their full potential. I wish Walking for Africa every success."

20th November: Clare Short, MP, has encouraged us by sending the message...

"Good luck with your walk. I hope the walk is enjoyable and leaves you both fit and well. And also that your fundraising for such a worthy cause is successful."

19th November: Bishop Martin Wharton, the Anglican Bishop of Newcastle, has kindly sent us a message of encouragement. He says...

"I am always happy to lend my encouragement and support to those working to develop educational resources and school facilities for Africa's children. Over the last few years the Diocese of Newcastle has been working with our partner Diocese of Botswana. This link has been to our mutual enrichment and benefit, and has alerted us to the challanges faced by so many coutnries and peoples in Africa.

I commend Peter Farrington and Chris Irons for this initiative. To walk through the Diocese along St Cuthbert's Way and to raise £4000 to help the children of East Africa receive a better education is a project which is deserving of support."

16th November: Sean Chapple, record breaking Polar Explorer has sent us this message of support..

"I am delighted to lend my support to Peter Farrington and Chris Irons who have set themselves a challenge to walk 100kms across Scotland and Northumbria in order to raise funds and awareness for Build Africa. I encourage you all to support their valiant efforts.

From first-hand experience I know that their target of over 25 kilometres a day will not be a stroll in the park and the challenge will be significant for them. Peter and Chris are two ordinary people who have taken it upon themselves to the first step by committing to undertake this endeavour for the benefit of others, please support them now by giving generously and bring Build Africa a step closer to empowering disadvantaged young people with the knowledge, skills and resources to live life to the full."

16th November: Hugh Robertson, MP, has also sent us a message of support. He says...

"I am delighted to lend my support to Peter Farrington and Chris Irons as they set out to raise £4000 to support the work of Build Africa. I know from my army days that walking 100 kms in Northumbria and Scotland is no mean feat and, if they succeed, they will have worked extremely hard for their money. It is a proper challenge!

The cause they are supporting could not be more important. Education is the most important driver in helping African children to enjoy a better future. Build Africa has done much important work over the past 25 years and this money will help them extend their work in the future."

15th November: We are really excited that we have broken the £400 barrier and are now over 10% of the way. Thanks to all our supporters. If you haven't made a donation yet then please consider the immediate benefit that even a small donation would make to many African children. A chance for a decent education would be one of the best Christmas presents you could send them.

13th November: Ann Widdecombe, MP, has sent us a message of support. She says...

"I am delighted to support the very valiant effort of Peter Farrington and Chris Irons. Build Africa is fulfilling a vital role. Having supported a school in Zambia for many years, I understand the importance of education in a country where prospects are bleak for those who cannot afford it. Here we take for granted that which can seem a far off dream in Africa. I have watched children doing sums with sticks in the dirt in schools with no roofs. Oh how those children fell on something as simple as the brightly coloured crayons we bought them!

Every small step of this long walk will raise funds to take a child a huge step forward. Please give generously."

8th November, 2007: The website has been launched and we have begun our first efforts to find business sponsorship, and support. Now we need to start spreading the word about our challenge and begin to gain sponsorship from friends and contacts around the world. Who wants to be first to sponsor us?

5th November, 2007: Peter and Chris have been in touch with Build Africa and received some helpful information and images which will be used to complete the Walking for Africa website. Peter spoke with James Gambrill at Build Africa today and James told us that Build Africa will be finalising the development plans for 2008 over the next month.

When Build Africa are clear which projects they will be supporting they will help Peter and Chris to choose one in particular which will become our sponsorship project.

1st November, 2007: Peter Farrington had wanted to support a development charity for some time and had visited the Build Africa website a few times over the last months. He had planned to follow in the footsteps of Chaucer's pilgrims, walking from Southwark to Canterbury, but a closer look at the modern route showed that it would have involved walking a whole day through housing estates, and another day along the busy and smelly A2.

Chris Irons, one of Peter's work colleagues and a keen walker and mountain biker, said that he would come along, and after a bit more discussion it was decided that a more interesting route would be the 100km of the St Cuthbert's Way, leading from Melrose in Scotland to Lindisfarne in Northumbria.

Lots more to plan of course, but it looks like we have a firm plan to work with.