Two lifelong friends from County Armagh men undertaking an extraordinary 1,000km+ charity walk from Essex to Armagh have battled blisters, blistering heat and a hospital visit to complete more than 200km during the first week of their journey.
John Gribbin, originally from Blackwatertown and now living in Essex, and Eamonn Donnelly, from Keady but now living in Austria, set off on their “Home from Home” challenge on Saturday 4th July.
The pair are walking from John’s current home in Essex to his family home in Blackwatertown, County Armagh, to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital and Cancer Fund for Children.
Their first week has proved even more challenging than anticipated, as they have walked for long periods in heatwave temperatures averaging around 35 degrees, carrying their backpacks and covering approximately 30km each day.
The extreme conditions took their toll when John became seriously dehydrated and had to spend a day in hospital receiving treatment. Despite the setback, the pair remain determined to continue and have now completed more than 200km of their 1,000km-plus journey.
The proverbial “Boys from the County Armagh” have also had to contend with painful blisters and the physical and mental fatigue of walking day after day in some of the hottest weather experienced in England this summer.
Speaking after reaching the 200km milestone, John said: “We knew this was going to be a huge physical challenge, but the heat during the first week has made it particularly difficult and has been far from ideal. Walking long distances with a backpack in temperatures of around 35 degrees has been exhausting, and unfortunately, I became badly dehydrated and needed hospital treatment during the first week.
“It was a worrying setback, but I have received excellent care and, in the meantime, Eamonn has continued the walk while I recover sufficiently to rejoin him. We have been taking additional precautions including starting the walk at 4am each day to avoid the highest daily temperatures and making sure we manage the conditions as safely as possible. We are praying for a return to normal temperatures as soon as possible.
“The encouragement we have received from people at home and along the route has been incredible. Every message, donation, offer of accommodation or word of support from those we meet on the road or online gives us another lift and reminds us why we are doing this.”
Eamonn added: “It has certainly been a week of blisters and blistering heat. The temperatures have been relentless, and seeing John having to go to hospital was a reminder that this is a serious undertaking and that we have to listen to our bodies. Despite everything, we have now passed the 200km mark, which is a significant milestone. There is still a very long road ahead of us, but we remain completely focused on getting home to County Armagh and raising as much money and awareness as possible for two wonderful children’s charities.
“We are walking for children and families who have faced challenges far greater than anything we will experience on this journey. That thought continues to drive us forward, even on the hardest days.”
The entire journey is expected to take around six weeks, with John and Eamonn hoping to arrive in Blackwatertown on or around 14th August. They are following public footpaths wherever possible and are carrying their own equipment as they make their way north and west across England towards Scotland before travelling onwards to Northern Ireland.
The challenge is raising funds for two children’s charities that are especially important to both families. John is walking in support of Great Ormond Street Hospital, where his eldest son received treatment after he was born. Eamonn is walking for the Northern Ireland-headquartered Cancer Fund for Children, which supported his niece Lucy and her family after she was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2020.
Supporters are being encouraged to follow John and Eamonn’s progress on social media, share their story, donate where possible and cheer them on along the route.
Donating through The Kier Foundation website is simple, fast and secure. All funds raised will be split equally between Great Ormond Street Hospital and Cancer Fund for Children. Gift Aid will also be claimed on every eligible donation made by a UK taxpayer, raising additional funds at no extra cost to the donor.
To donate, visit: https://www.kierfoundation.
Follow the walk on social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
