Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre manager to walk 120 miles in 40 hours to raise money
A man will walk 120 miles in 40 hours to raise funds for the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre.
Grant Wilson, who manages the centre, will walk the Shropshire Way route this weekend in a fundraising bid that was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He said: "I am walking the whole 120 miles of the new Shropshire Way non-stop solo in under 40 hours to promote our centre and meadows, and to raise some much-needed funds at a time when our charity has no other income at all.
"The funds raised will go towards an exciting development plan we have coming up including a replica Iron Age cookhouse, a wetland nature reserve and a community growing project.
"I also wanted to raise awareness about the new Shropshire Way – we have a world-class long distance path right on our doorstep which anyone can do in easy sections – why not give it a go during what looks like being a stay home summer?
New way marks
"If you would like to follow my progress or come and cheer me on, please download my tracker link. If you would like to support the great work we do at the centre, please make a donation via my JustGiving page. Your donations will spur me on to complete this mammoth challenge which will involve two consecutive nights without sleep and nearly 5000 metres of climbing!”
Grant will begin this Friday and plans not to sleep until he has reached his goal. To track his progress, visit live.opentracking.co.uk/grantwilson20/. To donate, visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/grantsnonstop120mileshropshirewaychallenge.
Amanda Hartley-Newton from the Shropshire Way Association said: “The 120 miles of the southern loop of Shropshire's own long-distance footpath, the Shropshire Way, has recently been way marked with a new distinctive orange way mark featuring the familiar black buzzard, by a partnership of walking groups across the county with Shropshire Council’s outdoor recreation team.
"Trustees of the Shropshire Way Association feel that there is no better way to showcase the beauty of the Shropshire Way in the south of the county than Grant’s inspirational challenge to run the entire southern route in one go.
"We would encourage everyone to come out and support Grant during his ultra run, to cheer him on, offer him sustenance and take photographs. It is going to be a wonderful journey.”
Learn more about the route at shropshireway.org.uk/.
