Turning loss into one of our biggest ever fundraisers

“I wanted to turn something awful into something good,” he says. “Something active, something hopeful – something I could tell Dad about before he passed.”

And so Colin planned a walk. Not just any walk, but a two-week coast-to-coast challenge across England, from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay in Yorkshire. Now a National Trail, this is Alfred Wainwright’s masterpiece long distance walk. By the end of the journey, he'd raised more than £12,000 for the Foundation for Liver Research – one of our biggest ever solo fundraising totals.

Colin’s choice of charity was carefully planned. “I looked into the big-name charities, but I wanted my effort to go to something more focused. Somewhere the money would genuinely support research – not just overheads,” he explains. “I heard about the Foundation, saw the work they were doing, and thought: yes, this is it.”

The walk took a poignant route by climbing Haystacks, the mountain where Alfred Wainwright’s ashes are scattered, but a slight detour from the official route. “There was something symbolic about it, as I had climbed the mountain with Dad a few years earlier.” he says.

Colin didn’t just rely on friends and family. He approached colleagues, companies, sponsors and even journalists, using every contact and platform he could. “You’d be amazed how many companies have CSR budgets sitting there unused. I gave them a reason to say yes!”

Each night, he posted updates, photos and reflections online. He even carried a laminated card about the Foundation so he could share the mission with people he met on the trail, gaining sponsorship along the way.

The finish line was wonderful. “My whole family including my wife and three children, my mum, uncle and brother and my in-laws all joined me. There were a series of traditions to complete - wetting my boots in the sea, throwing a pebble I’d carried all the way from St Bees, signing the visitors book, photos with a massive bank cheque, a commemorative t-shirt etc. Lots of joy and lots of money raised!”

So what would Colin say to someone thinking about a fundraising challenge?

“Just go for it. If you care about the cause, make it personal. Make it yours. Liver disease is underfunded, under-researched, and misunderstood. But the science is moving fast – and this charity is right at the cutting edge.”

“And I promise – people will surprise you with how generous they are.”

 

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