On 13/14th June Ned, Ida and me will be attempting to run St Cuthbert’s way, a 100km pilgrimage route from Melrose, Scotland to Lindisfarne (Holy Island) on the Northumbrian Coast. Usually, a 5/6 day walk that we’re planning to run in 2! That’s two back-to-back ultra trail marathons with 3000m of ascent to keep us on our toes!

Whilst this is a challenge we came up with and something we’re really looking forward to, the idea of making it something greater than ourselves also came to mind.

Oundle Mencap Holiday is a residential summer holiday for children with learning and often physical disabilities. Those that know me well will know how much it means to me, I have been volunteering on it for the past 3 years and persuaded Ida to join last year.

Every year 40 children come together to spend a week full of nonstop activities from dressing up and paint fights to swimming, games and theme parks. It’s a week full of constant joy, happiness, tears and chaos for the children and volunteers alike. A chance for them to forget about the outside world, where so many of them face struggles everyday we’d never think about, giving them a space to thrive, find their independence and make lifelong and often life changing friends.

As incredible as it is for the children, it also crucially allows a week’s rest for their families and carers, who may often only have this one week in the entire year. A 17-year-old boy, Jack (in the first and second photos), who I’ve been caring for the last two years and sharing a room with, had never spent more than a night away from home before Mencap. His parents had tried a care weekend before, but no one had been able to understand his needs, and he’d had to be picked up the same day. His mum said she cried each day as photos and videos of Jack were sent over and that she’d never seen him so comfortable and happy with new people or away from home before.

The charity has been running for 40 years, is run and staffed by 97 volunteers and relies entirely on donations to make up the £70,000 needed to fund each holiday and the bursaries for the families.

Please have a look at the Video HERE and the photos in the gallery above to get a taste of what we got up to on last year’s holiday and just how much joy it brings to the children.

Ida and I will be heading back for our fourth and second year this summer and we hope to continue for many more!

Therefore, any donations to this incredible charity would mean a huge amount to help keep these life changing holidays going and the amazing impact they have on so many people.

They may just help push us over some of these mountains also!..

Lots of love

Orlando, Ned, Ida (and Ben due to torn meniscus from the support vehicle) xx

p.s. For those wanting to find out more about Oundle Mencap Holidays, please have a look HERE.