Angels guiding route of Middle Rasen man up iconic British pathway

A Middle Rasen adventurer is getting ready to don his walking boots and head out on another charity challenge.
Adventurer Richard Harries is setting off on another charity challenge EMN-180219-143920001Adventurer Richard Harries is setting off on another charity challenge EMN-180219-143920001
Adventurer Richard Harries is setting off on another charity challenge EMN-180219-143920001

Consultant radiologist and volunteer LIVES doctor Richard Harries is preparing to take on Britain’s most iconic long distance walk.

He will be heading out from Land’s End on March 1 and hoping to complete the 874-mile trek to John O’Groats in one go.

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“Why am I doing it? I keep asking myself that question and will probably ponder it much more when I’m plodding along in the rain,” said Richard.

“Partly it’s because I just want to know if I can, and also to see how I’ll react when the going gets tough.

“The other big reason is that I want to raise money for, and awareness of, a charity called Global Angels, which does amazing work in some of the poorest places on earth.”

The charity is actively supported by a number of well-known personalities, including Prince Harry, Hayley Westenra and Bear Grylls.

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Richard continued: “I’ll be camping as much as possible, but will stay with friends and family along the way so that I’ll be clean and dry at least now and then!”

A seasoned marathon runner and self-confessed adrenalin junkie, he is no stranger to extreme challenges.

In 2016, he took on the task of scaling Africa’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro.

Richard said: ““When I retired from full time work in 2010 I created a bucket list and Kilimanjaro was on it.”

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To prepare for the challenge, he also underwent a gruelling Bear Grylls extreme survival course, which saw him face river and gorge crossings, hill climbing and camping out, as well as being taught how to forage for food and find water.

Richard’s latest adventure won’t require such extreme survival skills, but will be something of a challenge nonetheless, as Richard anticoates it will take around seven weeks to complete.

You can follow Richard’s walk on Facebook (http://bit.ly/2tNYyEw) and anyone who fancies joining him for an hour or two can check his route on Google Maps (http://bit.ly/2D8yHjt).

To support Richard log on to one of his donation pages at www.givey.com/richardharries or www.justgiving.com/fundraising/richard-harries4.

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Richard is also organising a charity quiz night for the charity in Middle Rasen’s Nags Head this Friday, February 23, starting at 7.30pm.

Since its inception in 2005, Globl Angels has provided safe drinking water to more than 160,000 people, provided medical care to another 170,000 and trained 60 medics.

Over 2 million meals have been supplied through a school feeding programme and more than 13,500 children are being educated in schools or classrooms built by Global Angels. Currently, a pilot programme in Tsavo, Kenya is bringing water, education, energy and social empowerment to 2,000 people with a projected roll-out to 20,000 by 2023.

More details about the charity at globalangels.org