Five islands becomes four but same miles for charity walker
A FIVE-ISLAND charity walker has been forced to re-route his challenge this week due to Covid restrictions.
Ed Gowan should have started a five-day challenge to walk 111 miles around each of the five main Channel Islands in Jersey tomorrow, before heading to Sark, Herm and Alderney and finishing in Guernsey on 1 August.
But now he will miss Jersey altogether and punish himself by doing the Jersey mileage with a lap of Guernsey and then a trek back along the south coast cliffs as far as Corbiere.
Mr Gowan, a director at CBO and expert in change management, said he had always been a keen hiker before he moved to Guernsey, walking across Wales, Hadrian’s Wall, and a number of three- to-five day routes across the UK.
He said he has been training for this challenge since January.
‘I’m currently upping the time on my feet each week, to build endurance, this is through three to four-hour weekend walks,’ he said.
‘I’m focusing on those parts of the island with lots of steps, as that will be the hardest part of the challenge.’
He added that the idea of walking around all of the Channel Islands emerged during a social team call during the first lockdown in 2020 and he decided to raise money for the Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation.
Among its work, the charity provides a safe haven in Southampton for families while their child is receiving vital care at the hospital. It costs £30,000 a year to keep the two flats maintained.
Mr Gowan said a number of his friends had benefited from the flats, most recently colleague David Palzeaird and his fiancee, Abi.
Mr Palzeaird said they greatly appreciated use of the flat while their son, Elliot, went through extensive treatment, at the height of the pandemic.
‘We were at a particularly low point when the PPBF were able to offer accommodation to us a stone’s throw from the hospital,’ he said.
‘It’s been decorated with a Guernsey theme, giving a real sense of home to any family that might have to use it. It was the first time Abi and Elliot were able to relax after days on wards.’
. Donations via JustGiving can be made at https://bit.ly/3kVDF7Z.
