Vandals target gran on coast walk for RNLI
A Bath grandmother who is raising money for the RNLI by walking around the country was left devastated after her tent was slashed and her shoes were “urinated in” as she pitched up in Sunderland.
Tracey Hannam, 55, from Whiteway, set off on her mammoth journey back on July 4, 2020, after losing her job during the coronavirus pandemic. The grandmother of eight had pitched her tent near Sunderland on Sunday, May 8, when the shocking incident happened.
Tracey had set up her tent near Whitburn Beach, at about 7.30pm when she decided to go hunting for some sea glass. As she walked back to her tent she said she saw a group of five youths nearby.
After getting closer Tracey realised her tent had been vandalised with knife slashes all over it, her belongings stolen and destroyed. What’s more they had also urinated in her walking boots.
The tent, which Tracey has named Aggie, means everything to her, as it has been “home” for the last two years on the walk. Tracey had already walked 4,000 miles for her challenge to raise money for the RNLI as she walks the entire UK coast and she feared she would no longer be able to continue.
Tracey said: “I felt so vulnerable when I realised what had happened. I felt invaded – all I have is Aggie and my 23 kilo backpack. I do feel more vulnerable now and will be much more careful.
“But despite what’s happened I’ve been overwhelmed by the support people in the North have shown me since. I think they’ve all been so horrified that people would do this – they’ve really gone above and beyond now.
“The chaps at the RNLI base in
Sunderland got me sorted with new boots, which was so kind. They also helped me get Aggie all taped up and repaired.”
A biker named Kevin and his brother Alan, who heard about the incident, even paid for Tracey to stay in the safety of a hotel overnight.
Tracey said: “I’ve been made to feel so welcome and now I’ve had people all the way up to Scotland saying, ‘Oh, I’ve got a garden you can stay in’ or ‘We run a campsite, come here,’ which is just amazing.”
Tracey also thanked Northumbria Police officers who walked with her to safety.
RNLI Sunderland Lifeboat Station said: “We are really disappointed to learn that the efforts of a fantastic RNLI fundraiser have been disrespected in such a way. Tracey is walking and camping the UK coastline, that’s around 12,000 miles, to raise money for our charity.
“It appears that her tent has been attacked by youths in Whitburn. If you can support Tracey’s cause and help her raise funds to help us continue to save lives at sea, please give generously.”
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said they were investigating the “unacceptable” incident and appealed for information.
Tracey thinks her journey around the UK will take another year or two to complete but she isn’t fazed and has enjoyed her travels so far.
She was driven to complete her huge journey after going through some life-changing events in lockdown, including losing her job and home with a former partner.
She added: “When I’ve finished my walk, I will come back to Bath to write a book about it all – I’m going to call it Plodding On because that’s what we’re all doing.”
To follow Tracey’s journey, go to www.facebook.com/tracenaggie 2020.
To donate go to www.justgiving. com and search for Tracey Hannam.