šŸš¶ā€ā™‚ļø Walking 256 miles for a very important cause, The Stanley Beau Foundation

Craig Gahagan is raising money for Stanley Beau Foundation

Team: Fundraising for Alzheimer's Society & Stanley Beau Foundation

The Big Walk (256 miles) Ā· 25 August 2025

Stanley Beau foundation supports children with life limiting illness and their families by providing holidays, short breaks and days out as well as emotional and practical support.

Story

On August 25th, I’ll be setting off on an epic 256.6-mile (412.9 km) trek from Minehead to Land’s End, following the stunning South West Coast Path through Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall.

Over 10 days, I’ll be walking the equivalent of a marathon a day, climbing a total of around15,000 metres in elevation—almost twice the height of Everest. And no, it’s definitely not flat!

Why this challenge?

I chose this for two reasons:

1ļøāƒ£ A deep love for the coast path.

This trail holds a special place in my heart—some of my happiest memories are walking stretches of it with family. I find the changing coast line captivating and the wild rugged landscapes enchanting. Reading The Salt Path only deepened that connection. This journey is a chance to experience the coastline in in a longer sustained stretch, wild camping along the way.

2ļøāƒ£ It’s going to be seriously tough.

With little (ok, no) formal training, this will be a true physical and mental challenge. There will likely be over 100 hours of walking needed to complete it. There will be pain, blisters, and plenty of self-doubt. But I hope that by pushing myself to the edge, I can inspire you to dig deep and support a truly worthwhile cause.

Why I’m fundraising

I’m walking in support of a charity close to our family. Kay had the privilege of caring for Stanley who suffered from a serious illness. After his tragic passing Emma created the charity in his honour. It is a charity born from love, loss, and incredible strength.

Emma is one of the most remarkable, inspiring people you could ever meet. The work the charity does for families facing unimaginable challenges is nothing short of extraordinary. Your donations will help them continue that mission, and every pound truly makes a difference.

I’ll include more info about the charity below—and a link to their website if you’d like to read more.

Thank you for your support, your kindness, and your generosity. Let’s do something amazing together. šŸ’›

For those following along, I’ll be sharing updates throughout the journey so be sure to check back here once I get underway!

We believe that no family should have to face the devastating news that their child is seriously ill on their own.

We want to complement existing medical services in the knowledge that sick children and their families need much more than just clinical input to help them through a child’s illness.

https://stanleybeaufoundation.org/

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Donation summary

Total
Ā£999.70
Online
Ā£999.70
Offline
Ā£0.00

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