Former vicar 'daunted but excited' as he sets off on 700-mile walk across England

A former vicar was “daunted but excited” as he set off on an ambitious 700-mile walk across England.

Dave Foster, 71, began his journey on Saturday from Land’s End in Cornwall and will spend the next eight weeks making his way north to the Scottish border, Berwick-upon-Tweed, aiming to cross the finish line on July 4.

The retired vicar and member of the Rotary Club of Evesham Vale in Worcestershire is walking in support of ShelterBox, a disaster relief charity founded by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard in 2000.

He has set a fundraising target of £20,000 – enough to provide 50 family tents or 1,000 thermal blankets for families who have lost their homes to earthquakes, floods or conflict.

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So far he has raised just over £9,300 according to the JustGiving page set up for the walk, and has already received a message of encouragement from Queen Camilla, who is Patron of ShelterBox.

Mr Foster stopped at the charity's Truro headquarters yesterday before continuing north.

The route will take in steep coastal paths, unpredictable weather and the full 268-mile length of the Pennine Way.

It is not the first time Mr Foster has taken on a major walking challenge for ShelterBox.

In 2023, he completed a 425-mile trek across the width of England and Wales, raising more than £10,000 for the charity, reports the BBC.

However, this year's effort is significantly more ambitious, both in distance and in fundraising target.

Mr Foster said: "After retiring, I had the opportunity to take on a new challenge – walking further and for longer than I'd ever done before and using that to raise funds for an inspiring cause like ShelterBox."

He added: "This year the walk is much longer and more challenging, exciting but daunting too. I hope I'll be able to repay the trust of everyone who's supported me."

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The retired vicar said he had been involved in fundraising for ShelterBox for a number of years and deeply admired the charity's direct and practical approach to disaster relief.

He said: "With the support of Rotary and other international partners, ShelterBox has been supporting those who have been left without shelter, and with very little essentials to stay alive, for over 25 years.

"So, if I can make a difference for just one family with the money we raise through ShelterBoots, it will be worth walking 700 miles for."

ShelterBox was set up to respond to the immediate aftermath of catastrophe, whether flooding, earthquakes, violent storms or conflict, providing families with the basic tools they need to survive and begin rebuilding.

A tent, a blanket and a few essential supplies can represent the difference between despair and the first steps towards recovery for a family that has lost everything.

Mr Foster said he has been grateful for the support of Rotary clubs up and down the country who will be backing him along the route.

The challenge begins at the very tip of England and heads steadily north through some of the country's most rugged and scenic terrain.

The former vicar is expected to complete his journey in early July, having walked the equivalent of more than 26 marathons over the course of eight weeks.

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