Arranged by Charitable Travel marketing manager Ally Ware as well as Scott McCabe from Oasis Travel and Pelumi Nubi from The Black Explorer, the group is set to raise a minimum of £10,000 for international disaster relief charity Shelterbox through their efforts.
“We all saw how devastating it was, so when we got together as a group, it was decided quite quickly this was probably the most important thing we could be raising money for at this time,” Ware told TTG.
Shelterbox will use the money to deliver 1,428 thermal quilted blankets to those in need, as well as 166 water infiltration kits and 28 all-purpose tents big enough to host a family. “It certainly is a very scary time for anyone involved, but specifically those with families,” she added.
The walk, which roughly approximates the distance between Turkey and Syria, will be completed in two stages. The first “warm-up” walk was done on Tuesday (14 March) with the second due take place on 27 April.
Each member of this year’s intake of 30, who are spread across the UK and Ireland, have been tasked with walking 16.66 miles, with the group looking to complete as much of it together as possible.
“While we’re trying to do many of the walks collectively, some people won’t be able to join the group walks – so instead they are walking in the places they live,” Ware said.
Joined by three other 30 Under 30s, marketing manager Ware and co ticked off five miles with a warm-up walk in central London from London Bridge to Oxford Circus, passing Buckingham Palace, Regent Street and Chinatown.
“It was just a short walk, but even then, you get the sense that if you don’t know where you’re finishing or if you don’t know where it ends, it can be really challenging,” she added.
“So the reason for doing this warm-up walk was just to get people to think about what has happened in Turkey and Syria and how it is affecting displaced people.”
You can can find out more about the group’s fundraising efforts, and contribute, via their JustGiving page.
