Marathon walk for Love The Forest raises vital funds

Fundraising-WalkStaff from a New Forest camp site have been nursing sore feet after a 15-hour trek to raise funds for vital conservation work by lovetheforest.

The four staff from Camping In The Forest, who work at the Hollands Wood camp site in Brockenhurst, walked the Avon Valley Path from Salisbury to Christchurch.

They had intended to do the walk and decided to raise money at the same time for the vital work the New Forest Trust’s Visitor Gift Scheme lovetheforest does in conserving the New Forest and securing its future through sponsorship and donations. In the end they collected £650.46.

It took the team 15 hours and 10 minutes to cover the 34.7 miles from Salisbury to Christchurch Priory – and just when their spirits were flagging they had a free breakfast prepared at Arcado Lounge in Christchurch to spur them on.

Alan Young, who helped organise the walk with colleagues Kate Rogers, Robbie Emmens and Graham Foster, said: “That free breakfast was the inspiration we needed for walking the last three miles or so, just as we were flagging a bit.

“The walk was as we expected although it was pretty painful towards the end – especially when we got overtaken by an elderly lady walking along Christchurch High Street.

“We all enjoy walking and wanted to do this one, but we just thought it would be good to raise money for the New Forest Trust and lovetheforest at the same time. We are already preparing for our next event now.”

Lovetheforest Director Julie Mottisfont said: “These four from Camping In The Forest have shown how much they love the forest by raising such a fantastic sum of money for our cause. I am sure they had the blisters to show for it but we can’t emphasise enough how grateful we are to them.

“And the support of Arcado Lounge in Christchurch, which opened early especially to greet the walkers at the end of the trek and provide them with a free breakfast, was fantastic. We are really grateful to them too.”

“We hope that this will spur others on to think of lovetheforest and the work we do when they are organising their sponsored events in the future.”