Ian's Thames Bridges Trek on Saturday 14th September

This fundraiser is organized by Workaid.

Ian will be attempting the Thames Bridges Trek following England’s greatest river as it heads east through the heart of the Capital. It’s 25 km – from Putney Bridge to beyond the mighty Tower Bridge – finishing in Southwark. He aims to raise funds to support Workaid's vision of a world in which all young people are able to achieve full and productive employment.

Ian is Workaid's caretaker, a position he has held for six months, following a haemorrhagic stroke nearly two years ago. The stroke was a massive shock to Ian and his family. Following a long rehabilitation process where he had to learn to walk and talk again, Ian became Workaid's caretaker, after volunteering once a week in our workshop. So the 25K trek will be no mean feat for Ian. He's been in training for a while now, completing 8K and 13K training walks and is looking forward to trekking past all 16 bridges with his friends, Suzy and Rob.

Workaid is a charity based in Chesham, founded in 1986, empowering young people in Africa (and the UK) to help themselves by developing the skills and knowledge needed to find gainful employment or start their own business.

We do this by refurbishing donated tools to a high standard and shipping them to training centres and self-help organisations. Young people in Africa are the drivers of development and know the solutions to the challenges they face. We work with like-minded organisations in Africa, to provide quality vocational training through the provision of tools and equipment. Our tools and starter kits are used for training and the creation of employment opportunities for young people, helping them escape poverty and promote sustainability.

Our Chesham workshop operates with a community of dedicated volunteers who bring a wealth of skills and abilities to refurbish donated tools. We also offer opportunities to young people with rehabilitation needs, mild to moderate learning disabilities and those facing employment challenges, to learn valuable life lessons and vocational skills.