A dedicated charity volunteer is taking on an impressive walking challenge and encouraging others to follow in his footsteps.
Sean Barker, 35, will take part in Step By Step To Feed The Next Child, a series of walks across Ireland to raise money for international school feeding charity Mary’s Meals.
Sean is joining the Tyrone/Armagh route to Knock, County Mayo, which starts on July 28 and ends on August 15.
Mary’s Meals, founded in a shed in the Scottish Highlands in 2002, provides school meals to more than three million children in some of the world’s poorest communities in 16 countries, including India, South Sudan and Zimbabwe. The promise of a daily meal encourages children into the classroom, where they gain an education and hope for a brighter future.
Sean first took part in the Step By Step To Feed The Next Child route two years ago and is excited to get going again this year. He is hoping he can inspire others to pick up their walking boots and get involved too.
He said: “I got involved in the Step By Step walks in 2024 and took part in the Moy-to-Armagh walk. I plan to try and do more than one leg of the walk this year if I can!
“I enjoy helping with Mary’s Meals as no one is in it for themselves; it’s all about what can we do to keep supporting the children, which is amazing. I’m looking forward to taking part in the 2026 Step By Step walks and contributing my little act of love to keep feeding the children.”
Step By Step isn’t the only recent active challenge Sean has taken on for Mary’s Meals.
As he explained: “I was really glad to help organise a Belfast Mary’s Meals walk in June, around Falls Park. It’s unbelievable that one day of walking can make such a difference – a few hours exercise can feed a child for a whole school year.”
By taking part in Step By Step, people can help the charity reach more children like eleven-year-old Roger, from Madagascar. He lives in an isolated community, where food production is difficult and poverty is prevalent. This means he often struggles with hunger at home, and his one-hour walk to school is exhausting.
Since the introduction of Mary’s Meals, Roger has noticed a huge change in his life.
He said: “What has changed in me since the school feeding, is that I am not hungry at school and I can focus during class.”
To follow in Sean’s footsteps and help Mary’s Meals reach more children like Roger, people can sign up for the walks by registering on the charity’s website. There are different walk lengths on multiple days, to suit varying levels of fitness and interest. Whether you’re walking the entire route or just taking part in a single leg, everyone is welcome.
Caoimhe McCann, Regional Development Officer for Northern Ireland, said: “I’m so thankful to Sean for taking on this tough Step By Step challenge once again this year! With this and his recent Belfast charity walk, Sean is helping us feed so many hungry children with Mary’s Meals, and it means the world.
“It costs Mary’s Meals just £19.15 to feed a hungry child for a whole school year, which is just 10p per meal. Any donation makes a real difference.”
To sign up for Step By Step To Feed The Next Child, please visit www.marysmeals.org.uk/get-involved/charity-events/step-by-step. To donate to Mary’s Meals and find out more, please visit www.marysmeals.org.uk.
