This Christmas, Mind Sheffield is calling on locals to come together to collectively walk the 4,200 mile distance from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, to Sheffield, Alabama, without leaving the country.
The mental health charity are aiming to raise £4,200, matching the miles they would like supporters to cover by Christmas Eve as part of their “A Walk Across the Pond” fundraiser.
Lindsay Doyle-Price, 52, Business Development Manager at Sheffield Mind, said: “We wanted to create a festive fundraiser that would capitalize on the city’s love of walking, while also setting locals a real challenge.”
Over a third of the UK’s greenest city lies within the Peak District National Park, making it a hotspot for climbers and ramblers alike.
Those who have signed up for the event have been getting creative with their fundraising efforts.
Lindsay said: “I took advantage of a weekend away in Norwich with my old uni friends to go to a Martin Kemp 80s DJ extravaganza. Bopping away all night, I managed to accrue a lot of steps and miles.”
Other fundraisers have been walking to work, taking lunch break strolls, and, in one instance, somebody who fell asleep on the bus ended up walking an extra three miles home, which they added to their tracker.
Mind’s Operations Manager, Edyta Bancer, joined the Mental Elf 5K fun run with her husband and their dog, Denver.
Denver the dog, getting in the fundraising spirit at the Mental Elf 5k run
She said: “It helped having Denver along with me, he gave me the motivation to carry on through the wind and the rain.
“I will be adding daily doggy walk miles to the total throughout the month – Denver has never been so fit!”
So far, fundraisers have covered 1,801 miles, placing them virtually in the middle of the North Atlantic.
All funds raised will be invested in the delivery of services, such as therapy sessions and the charity’s ‘Here 4 You‘ telephone support service, which offers a free helpline for those who feel isolated and lonely.
Lindsay said: “It’s amazing how quickly miles add up, even if you’re just walking to the shops or skipping a mode of transport once a week. Get yomping.”
