Epic walk raises £3k for scouts
A WALKER has completed a marathon trek across England in support of local scouts.
Paul Truswell started his 550-mile walk at Lowestoft in Suffolk in April and completed it by reaching Land’s End in Cornwall in May.
The Trussy Trek raised more than £3,000 for the 1st Hurdsfield Scouts, Cubs and Beavers group so it can improve its facilities on Brocklehurst Avenue.
Paul, from Bollington, endured all sorts of weather during the walk which almost ended prematurely when he sprained his ankle in the last week.
But he soldiered on to compete the trek across the country.
Paul said: “I met many, many good people who helped in practical and hospitable ways and were key to me being able to complete my far east to far west walk across England. Thank you to everyone for their support.”
As well as the refurbishment of the scout hut, the money Paul raised will be used to buy new equipment for camping and hiking trips and materials for craft projects, as well as funding an assisted places scheme for those who miss out on scouting for financial reasons.
Greg Carter, group chairman of 1st Hurdsfield Scouts, said: “Paul has raised just over £3,000 for the group. This was a great result and will be of enormous help to us.
“We really appreciate Paul’s efforts, all the more as the weather was appalling for quite a bit of the walk, and at one point we thought he was as likely to disappear in the mud as he was to finish.
“It seems however that a diet of fish, chips and bitter can power someone from Lowestoft to Land’s End. Our forecast of a month-long pub crawl wasn’t far off the mark.”
Paul kept his family and friends entertained on his own Trussy Trek Facebook page, updating them on his travels with pictures and wry commentary during his adventure.
Other than the sprained ankle, Paul also endured countless blisters and cuts on his feet which made the walk a painful experience at times.
It is the second big walk Paul has taken on. In 2014 he walked 300 miles from Lindisfarne, off the coast of Northumberland, to the isle of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland, and raised £2,500 for the charity Cre8, based on the Weston.
Paul is already considering another long walk but not for a while.
He said: “I might do another long walk but I’m as certain as I can be that that won’t be for a few years. ‘Trussytrek 2020’ does have a nice ring to it.”
If you would like to sponsor Paul you can visit the website my.give.net/ trussytrek.