Date: 8th September, 2020
Five firefighters are taking on a mammoth walking challenge later this month to raise funds for their local community.
The Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service crew from Pewsey fire station will walk alongside the River Avon from the heart of the village to Christchurch, some 70 miles away.
The aim is to raise as much money as possible for Pewsey Carnival, as the procession has had to be cancelled this year, and the walkers will set off at 5pm on Friday 18 September, arriving by the coast on what would have been Carnival Day.
It’s one hundred years ago this year that the journey from Pewsey to Christchurch was first recorded, after a group of locals rowed down the river to win a bet. The anniversary is what prompted the firefighters to take on this particular challenge.
Crew Manager Mark Lewis said: “With coronavirus restricting fundraising activities for Pewsey Carnival this year, we wanted to do something to support this community event and we couldn’t think of a better way than emulating the epic voyage along the river to the sea! You can’t row the route anymore, but the Pewsey Avon Trail to Salisbury, and the Avon Valley Path from Salisbury to Christchurch, means we can walk it and hopefully not get lost!”
He added: “We’re hoping to achieve a time that sets down a gauntlet for future generations, but the main thing is to raise as much money as possible, so we hope as many people as possible can sponsor us.”
To support the firefighters in their challenge, please visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tothesea2020
You can follow the team’s training, and the challenge, on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/dwfrspewseyfirestation