Walk on the wild side

Hi I'm Gary Meadows and I'm asking you to sponsor myself and a friend to walk part of the Appalachian Trail through Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains in aid of The Christie. My wife and I have lived in Cox Bank for over 20years and might be known to some of you by our 2 grey horses which we ride around the lanes.

My friend Jim Swainson, who I am walking with, has leukaemia and is currently in remission having experienced some very severe chemotherapy and he wishes to thank The Christie and to give something back. For my part, over the years I have seen many friends and relatives suffer from cancer and I know that the quality of care and treatment received at The Christie is second to none.

All the money raised will go directly to The Christie to help towards their vision for a future without cancer as Jim and I are paying all our own costs.
Let me explain about the walk. The Appalachian Trail is an established long distance walk in the U.S.A. covering over 2000 miles from Georgia to Maine; we have elected to undertake a 300 mile section through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. This will involve our carrying all our equipment weighing over 40 lb and walking approximately a half marathon a day with a climb up and down Snowdon each day. We have to carry our own food and supply ourselves on route, camping as we go.

This walk is not like a long distance walk in Great Britain as for long periods we will be in total isolation from the rest of the world with only bears, coyotes and rattlesnakes for company. The walk will take us 24 days and in that period we will climb 72,600 feet and descend 71,100.

I know that requests for sponsorship are common and you have to be selective, but I would ask you to support me in attempting to raise the £4,500 target we have set ourselves, this represents £15 per mile walked.

If you would like to support us, sponsorship forms are at Mckelvey's paper shop and the Salad Bowl/Coffee Lounge or please visit our justgiving page at . . .

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