Berkhamsted man raises thousands for charities by walking over 1,000 miles from Land's End to John O'Groats

A man from Berkkhamsted is walking from Land’s End to John O’Groats to support three health charities.

Nick Heath, 60, embarked on the 1,100-mile trek on May 18, to support Parkinson’s UK, Mind and The Hospice of St Francis in Berkhamsted

His two-month journey will see him travel along many famous UK walking routes, including the South West Coast Path, the Cotswold Way, the Pennine Way and the West Highland Way.

Nick is aiming to complete the distance assisted only by a pair of Nordic walking poles, climbing around 120,000 feet in total. He also plans to make a stop at around 50 breweries and distilleries along the way.

He said: “Having revelled in the combination of calmness and exertion on my daily walks over these last 15 months, my mission now is to support these three life-enhancing charities in this time of great need for healthcare.

“For the most part I will be walking alone, but I will be really grateful for the wonderful company of the several family members and friends who are joining me for certain days along the way.”

Nick has already raised over £4,900 on his fundraising page, to be split equally between the three charities.

Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world, and currently there is no cure, it affects around 145,000 people in the UK. There are over 40 symptoms, from tremor and pain to anxiety, though it affects everyone differently.

Beth Condie, regional fundraiser for Hertfordshire at Parkinson’s UK, said: “We want to say a huge thank you to Nick for choosing to support Parkinson’s UK with this incredibly gruelling challenge.

"With more than 40 potential symptoms, Parkinson’s can devastate lives. We’ve made huge breakthroughs in the last 50 years, there is still no cure and current treatments are not good enough.

“Fundraising for Parkinson’s UK like Nick helps to drive forward the groundbreaking research we need to transform the lives of people affected by Parkinson’s.”

To keep up to date with Nick’s progress, visit: letjog.co.uk. To support Nick’s fundraising visit click here.