THE ALL TOGETHER CHALLENGE

The All Together 24 Challenge is an ambitious initiative to collectively travel 24,907 miles—the circumference of the Earth— and to raise £24,000 in 2024. We are already stacking up the miles thanks to our dedicated participants and we've raised over 33% of our goal. Every mile and every donation helps us in supporting people seeking asylum and refugees in Calderdale rebuild their lives with dignity.

Today's highlight is Dick Robinson, an 82-year-old avid walker who embraced the challenge of walking 100 miles in July and August. Having already surpassed 200 miles and raised £430, he remains determined. 

Dick Robinson's Walking Challenge: A Journey of Love 

I'm doing this challenge for two reasons. Firstly, I love walking and always have done; I've done all the peaks in the Lakes and now we live in London and I try to go to Hampstead Heath every day. It’s a lovely wild place, not a poshed-up park.

Secondly, I want to support St Augustine's because my eldest daughter Sara works there, and I’m so proud of what she and the whole team do. It's important for people who’ve had to escape terrible things and been through awful journeys to get support and find hope for the future. We’ve visited St Augustine's Centre two or three times and I’m so proud of it.

My target is to walk 100 miles in July. But I've already done 66 miles in just 14 days! This challenge is pushing me further. I'm no longer a spring chicken (82, not far off 83) and walking keeps my body strong even if my brain is misbehaving!

Where I and my sister grew up in Surrey, there was a wild bit of land called The Common. We went there as kids, made tunnels through the bracken, and built sandcastles. I guess that’s where it all started, and as I grew older, I became obsessed with doing long walks like the Coast to Coast, the Pennine Way, and during family trips to the Lake District. These days, I catch the number 263 bus to Highgate, then the 214 to Parliament Hill. I love to see the Shard and St Paul's Cathedral on the London skyline when I reach the top of the hill. I think I've trod every possible path on the heath.

In the early 1960s, I did a huge trip for just £60! I hitched through Europe, into Greece, crossed the Mediterranean to Egypt, and down the River Nile. Then over to Lebanon and Syria. I'll never forget the beauty of Aleppo and the kindness of the people there; it's so sad to think of it destroyed now.

What matters most now I'm 82? Having lots of contact with much-loved family members, which now includes 4 great-grandchildren! And that's why it's vital that, here in the UK, we provide a safe space for people who, through no fault of their own, end up thousands of miles away from families and loved ones. I hope my walk helps St Augustine's to continue to do just that. Please consider sponsoring me here. https://www.justgiving.com/page/richard-robinson-1721025670308

— Dick Robinson

 



Please share Dick's story and donate what you can. It’s also not too late to join the team. Just fill out the form and follow the instructions on our website. Make sure to stay updated about the progress of the challenge and don't miss out on the incredible activities our participants are engaged in!