Total raised so far

106%

£10,686.00 of £10,000 target +£1,900.25 Gift Aid See breakdown

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John and Wendy are walking from Land's End to John O'Groats

Event dates: 1st April 2024 – 30th June 2024

John & Wendy Cunningham are raising money for Willen Hospice and St Mark's Hospital Foundation

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Our story

Life sometimes throws you a massive curveball. Back in March 2020 before the first UK lockdown, John was diagnosed with stage 3-4 bowel cancer. Then ensued 5 weeks of chemoradiotherapy, followed by a 15 hour hour radical bowel surgery in 2021 and a month in ITU. Negotiating the complexity of treatment and another course of chemotherapy during the worldwide Covid pandemic added to the challenges we faced.

A long held retirement plan of ours was to walk from Lands End to John O' Groats. Not sure if this could now happen, we never gave up hope. We held this as a goal during the long gruelling rehabilitation which followed. Grateful to now be fit and well (albeit with John's altered lifestyle living with 2 stomas) the dream is scheduled to actually begin in spring 2024!! This is going to be a massive challenge and to say it's rather daunting is an understatement. To raise funds during the walk will spur us on.

John was a member of the Business Club at Willen Hospice before retiring and has chosen to support this amazing charity which relies totally on contributions to survive. We also want to wholeheartedly thank the team at St. Marks Hospital for his lifesaving surgery and therefore want to raise funds for the department.

We have now completed walking the Grand Union Canal from London to Birmingham and also the Isle of Wight coastline of 80 miles.

The date for this epic walk is set starting on 1st April (yes, April Fools Day!) and we will be staying in a camper van each night and hopefully people can help us get to and from it!

We hope large companies will support us by sponsoring the van (which we will advertise them on the sides of the van) but all of the other costs we are totally funding so all donations will go to the above two charities.

Please spread the message far and wide as we want to raise as much as we possibly can. We will update you on progress as we trek across our amazing country!

Thank you for checking out our page. Making a donation is fast, easy and secure thanks to Give as you Live Donate. They'll take your donation and pass it onto Willen Hospice and St Mark's Hospital Foundation.

Our updates

1 week ago

Well, it is day 23 - a rest day! We are here in Minehead and now i county number 3! We have walked over 200 miles and Johns beard has entered week 3, much to Wendys dislike.

We think we have seen the worst of the weather now, having survived Storm Kathleen, another unnamed storm, ferrocious winds a dfn 60mph gusts on sheer cliffs!

We have seen miracles with last minute lifts when the ferry was cancelled, lifts from strangers when we hadn't any booked, donations from folk along the way as well as food and gifts. We have had amazing support with lifts, laundry and even sewing! So grateful to you all and rfeminds us there is so much goodness in the world.

Can we make £20000? Please spread the word as so much is needed and don't forgetto follow us on Instagram @bonkerswithbags

3 weeks ago

Ten days in the bag, 103 miles, brutal weather but warmed by the incredible kindness and generousity of so many beatiful people along the way. We appreciate you all and it is spurring us on. We managed to get on to BBC Radio Cornwall with David White on John's 70th birthday, whilst sheltering from the wind sat in a muddy stony puddle on the coast path! Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @bonkerswithbags

1 month ago

You can follow us on Instagram @bonkerswithbags.

Plus we will be on 3 Counties Radio on the Andy Collins Show at 7.30am on Easter Monday 1st April (also April Fools' Day!). Just after this interview we will begin our walk!

2 months ago

We were interviewed by MKFM and here is the link for you to listen to the podcast!
mkfm.com/on-air/podcasts/mkfm-podcasts/episode/john-and-wendy-cunningham-lands-end-to-john-ogroats-charity-challenge/

4 months ago

Well, we have gone and launched our walk today on some social media sites plus we have contacted our local radio station MKFM - mkfm.com/. They have already posted it on their site which is amazing and thank you so much! We have also contacted TV stations plus waiting to hear from the Guinness Book of Records, as John could be the first person to do this walk with two stomas (a word he dislikes intensely!). Thank you for all who have donated so far.

Our 2 charities

Willen Hospice

Charity number: 270194

St Mark's Hospital Foundation

Charity number: 1140930

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Type	Amount
Total donated online	£10,686.00
Total amount raised offline	£0.00
Total Gift Aid Estimated. Not included in grand total	£1,900.25
Grand total	£10,686.00

Total raised so far

Nigel & Sue (nos 1 )

Michelle

Paul

Wendy and Stephen Johnson

Jane Ponte

Jennifer

Clare Wallace-Fisher

Anne

John Cunningham