Jane and I have walked 265 miles from Ambleside to Oxford. We were given a warm welcome at St John’s College in the heart of Oxford. The walk has taken us over three weeks to complete and at times we have been close to exhaustion, when the high hills and the extreme heat proved to be more than challenging. I am particularly grateful to our support driver, Richard Warren, for his kindness, his encoragement and his humour. Also the Zane back office staff who have all worked very hard to ensure the walk was a success.
Why did Jane and I undertake this walk?
We walked for the forgotten people of Zimbabwe: those ruined, lonely and frail pensioners who find themselves trapped in what is often a terryfying country and who are forced to live out their lives on the very edge of existence. These proud people are often forced to rely on Zane for all their needs. Then there are those poorest of the poor who eke out an existence in the high density areas. They need support, in particular clean water, basic medical supplies and education for their children.
We are walking to further our clubfoot programme (450 operations to date). We are walking to eliminate the waiting lists of desperate people who need help.
Zane recieves no assistsnce from the goverernment – we rely on private donations for our aid.
We are grateful to our generous donors who have so kindly sponsored us. It is never too late!
Last and most important of all, thanks to my triumphant and wonderful wife who walked every yard with me. Words are an inadequate medium to express my heartfelt thanks and my gratitude to her.
I hope you enjoy my blog. It was often written late at night when I was tired. Any mistakes are mine alone.
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Well done indeed!!! You are both stars of the highest order and we salute you!! It must have been great to see the countryside in such glorious weather but probably not ideal for walking!! We are off to the Lakes this weekend for a friends’s 70th birthday but it will only take us 5 hours!!! We will think of you as we drive comfortably and cooly!! We will be in touch. Much love and admiration, Judith xxxx
Congratulations!! And thank you – a great achievement.
Georgie
Well done the both of you. You must have been so hot. Have a good weekend- we’re off for 4 days on our boat with Rachel and Isaac.
Amazing effort! So glad you achieved it and kept us all amused with your daily blogs. I particularly liked the time early on when you went one way over the river and Jane went the other and I thought ‘nothing changes in the Benyon household’! But your commitment to ZANE is outstanding! Will you still be doing it with a Zimmer frame in 10 years time?
yes…zimmer frame? more like next year