40 Miles BAREFOOT for a better future

We are a mum and daughter team and this is our second year doing a barefoot walk. We aim to walk 40 miles from Poole to Weymouth without shoes, carrying all our equipment and camping along the way to raise money for a family in South Africa. Walking barefoot is challenging and at times very painful. Why are we doing it? Walking barefoot is our way to share symbolically and in a small way the struggle, pain and difficulties that this family faces in their daily lives.

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Hi, my name is Megan (12) and I am doing this walk to help a friend in South Africa. When we met him we weren't quite sure where he lived or anything about his living conditions. When the time came to go I wanted to keep in touch with him and so we took his Mum’s number and came back to England. Slowly we learnt about his family living in a caravan in someone's back garden and having to ask before going to the indoor loo. In South Africa there is very little help from the government if you don't have money. Luckily thanks to all the support we got last year they now live in a small flat and could buy some of the things that they needed like beds and a fridge. They fixed their car and could go to the dentist. The rest of the money went to pay for him to go to school.

I am Megan's mum, Charmaine. With so much inequality and people in need, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and difficult to know who or where to help. Rather than giving money to a big charity I have decided to make a long term commitment to this family, build a relationship and make a real difference in their lives. We met Liam who is Megan's age at the beach and got to know each other in the week that we spent together. He is a charming, joyful boy with a caring and loving heart. When the day came to say goodbye my heart was torn apart. I could make a commitment to this child or I could walk away, fly back to the UK and forget that we ever met, but I could not. We've stayed in touch and also made contact with his mum. Learning more about the hard and harrowing situations that they have had to face as a family. Liam's mum was made redundant during the pandemic and it has been a struggle for her to make ends meet. I am full of admiration for her dedication and inner strength to keep going against all odds and wanting the best for her children even in very difficult circumstances. I want to make a lasting difference in Liam's life and also support his home life through this fundraiser.

The funds raised will be used to:

Here we are in Lyme Regis at the end of last year’s walk of nearly 35 miles barefoot.