Mark Young

100 Miles. 3 Days. One Cause. ❤️ Walking 100 miles from Donegal to Belfast to raise money for the Children’s Cancer Unit. On Friday 30th October, I’ll be joining my mate Tucker and setting off on a 100-mile walk, with the aim of reaching Belfast on Sunday 1st November. Three days. 100 miles. Whatever the Irish weather decides to throw at us. And we’re doing it for children and families facing battles that make our three days of sore feet, exhaustion and discomfort look insignificant. I’ve always said we can’t fix everything wrong with the world. But we can do something. And sometimes doing something means putting one foot in front of the other until you’ve covered 100 miles. Tucker has organised this challenge, and I’m coming along to support him, document the entire journey and hopefully use the audience I’ve built through Belfast Breakfast Baps and The Belfast Bapcast to raise as much money as humanly possible. I’ll be filming the whole experience. The highs, the lows, the exhaustion, the inevitable arguments, the questionable decisions and probably a fair amount of language I’ll have to edit out. But behind all the humour is something deadly serious. There are children receiving cancer treatment and parents living through circumstances most of us cannot begin to imagine. Hospital appointments, uncertainty, fear and families trying to hold themselves together through incredibly difficult times. We cannot take those circumstances away. But we can come together and make a difference. Every donation, regardless of size, will help us towards our fundraising goal. If you can’t donate, please share this fundraiser. A share costs absolutely nothing and could put this in front of somebody who can help. I don’t know how much we can raise. But I intend to find out. And I intend to give this walk everything I’ve got. 100 miles for the little fighters facing battles far bigger than ours. Thank you to everyone who supports, donates, shares or encourages us along the way. Quietly Properly Together Mark ✝️❤️⚓️

FUNDRAISER UPDATE — BELFAST, DUBLIN AND NEXT ENGLAND First of all, an enormous thank you to every single person who has supported our homeless outreach. £7,596 raised so far, with over 400 people contributing. That generosity means a great deal, and I don’t take it lightly. But the work never stops, even when donations eventually do. Since 16th February, I’ve been going into Belfast with food for people sleeping rough: A hot meal A drink A conversation A familiar face And, most importantly, somebody who keeps showing up. We also completed two nights sleeping rough in Belfast. It reinforced something I already knew: a couple of nights on the streets doesn’t mean you understand homelessness. I knew exactly when I could go home. Many of the people I see every day don’t have that luxury. SO WHAT’S NEXT? DUBLIN — BEFORE THE END OF OCTOBER Within the next two weeks, I’ll be heading to Dublin to spend a night sleeping rough and connect with people working on the front line. I want to document the realities and risks people face—not to sensationalise homelessness or pretend I understand what it’s like to have no home, but to draw attention to people society has become far too comfortable walking past. Hopefully, it will also raise more funds for our daily Belfast outreach. THEN ENGLAND After Dublin, I’ll pause the fundraising expeditions over Christmas, while the daily food runs continue, God willing. Homelessness doesn’t take Christmas off, and neither does hunger. After Christmas, we’ll head across to England to connect with more front-line organisations and raise further awareness and funding. The aim remains the same: Keep showing up. Keep feeding people. Keep building relationships. I cannot solve homelessness or fix addiction, and I won’t pretend that one night sleeping rough makes me an expert. But I can keep doing what I’ve been doing. With your support, we can keep doing it together. If you can donate £5 or £10, brilliant. If you can’t donate but can share the fundraiser, that’s appreciated just as much. Every contribution helps provide the next lunch and continue our community outreach. To everyone who has donated, shared, volunteered, supplied food or encouraged us along the way: thank you. £7,596 is an extraordinary amount of money. But the greatest achievement isn’t the total on a fundraising page. It’s helping somebody who has very little feel that they haven’t been completely forgotten. Dublin next. England after Christmas. And Belfast every day we possibly can. Quietly Properly Together Mark Belfast Breakfast Baps / The Belfast Bapcast ☝️✝️❤️⚓️

In October 2020, a young girl named Jeni died on her first night at university. Just hours after her mum left her at halls. One night. One decision. A life gone. Her death involved a combination of alcohol and ketamine — neither of which, on their own, should have been fatal. But together… they were. I was contacted by Jeni’s mum. No parent should ever have to make that phone call. And no young person should walk into that situation without understanding the risks. That’s why I’m doing this. I’m walking 40km (23 miles) From my home in Belfast To my Ma’s house in Clough. Not for attention. Not for a challenge. But to raise money for something that actually matters. WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES Funds raised will support the work of the Daniel Spargo Mabbs Foundation (DSM) A UK-based drug education charity now delivering programmes across Northern Ireland. They are currently: • Touring schools across NI • Reaching over 7,000 young people (ages 14–16) • Delivering powerful, real-life education through theatre and workshops Each school performance costs approximately £1,000 That’s the reality. This funding directly helps bring life-saving education into schools — before young people step into environments like university, where these risks become real. ⸻ WHY THIS MATTERS This isn’t about scaring kids. It’s about: • Giving them the confidence to say no • Helping them recognise danger • Teaching them what to do if a friend is in trouble • Breaking the silence around drugs and peer pressure Because pretending it doesn’t exist… doesn’t protect anyone. Education does. THE GOAL Every pound raised goes towards: • Funding school programmes • Expanding drug education across Northern Ireland • Preventing another family from experiencing what Jeni’s has HOW YOU CAN HELP • Donate if you can • Share this page • Spread the message Even a small amount contributes to something bigger than all of us. THE WALK Belfast → Clough 40KM / 23 miles I’ll be documenting the journey. Anyone who wants to walk part of it is welcome. No parent should bury their child Because of one night they weren’t prepared for. Let’s change that. Mark ☝️❤️