A DEDICATED group of women have walked 23 million steps on a virtual trip around the world to raise £4,194.25 for The Christie.
The walking challenge was the idea of Lis Kendray as she wanted to give something back to the cancer treatment centre, where she received care last year.
So, she asked her friends – ladies mainly from Dobcross who are affectionately known as the WAGS – to join her and pledge money upfront so they could donate immediately.
The invitation was extended to friends across England, in Wales, and even overseas to Dubai and Melbourne so eventually it became an international affair.
Each of the 31 participants pledged a number of steps they felt they could manage to walk each day in January and a WhatApp group was set up to share their progress and motivate one another.
Lis said: “Walking in January was horrendous! We had rain, hail, snow, gale force winds, ice and frost.
“We were, in the main, ladies of a certain age, including two over 70, so it wasn’t easy.
“To make it more interesting, we decided we would walk virtually around Britain, pick everyone up on the journey, and then go to Dubai for Kate and lastly to Melbourne for Marion so the challenge lasted much longer than the originally planned 30 days.
“Lots of the group dragged their four-legged friends along on the walks with them and everyone encouraged each other as the steps were logged.
“Pictures of the walks were shared and Marion and Kate sent pictures of sunny beaches.
“Although not everyone knew each other a spirit of comradeship developed. Some ladies did over a million steps each.”
The ladies walked a combined total of 23 million steps – approximately 12,000 miles – and raised £4,194.25 for The Christie.
This is the not the first time the WAGs have put their best foot forward for charity as last year they walked more than seven million steps to raise £3,400 for Maggie’s Oldham cancer centre.
They committed to walking 150,000 steps per day as a group throughout July but smashed their target, achieving more than 200,000, which would have taken them to the Niagara Falls.
• You can still donate to their fundraising for The Christine on their Just Giving page:
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/alison-brophy1
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