Support Worker celebrates after completing 100 mile coast to coast fundraiser challenge

A support worker from Jarrow has walked 100 miles in six days to raise money to transform a garden for vulnerable adults.

 Leah Stewart, a Senior Support Worker with Creative Support, set off from Bowness-on-Solway in Cumbria on Monday. 29 April, reaching the other end of the country at Wallsend on Saturday, 4 May.

Leah spent at least seven hours a day walking in the hopes of raising £1000 to revamp the outdoor space at the service she works in Jarrow, which is home to six people with learning disabilities or autism.

Leah said: “I thought it would be easier- it was supposed to be 84 miles, but with a couple of detours and me going the wrong way I ended up doing 98.2 miles! On Sunday I said it didn’t feel like enough, so my husband and I did an extra two miles. How many people can say they’ve done 100 miles in a week?”

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“I would definitely do it again, although it was much harder than I thought. I could’ve easily come home on the second day but I’m not one to lose faith. I was thinking about everyone who had supported me and that they’d want me to keep going.”

Leah is delighted to have raised £800 of her £1000 goal. 

She added: “We’re going to sit with staff and tenants to ask everyone what they want. A large barbecue is first on the ‘to do’ list so we can hold events and everyone can socialise outside! We also want to give everywhere a paint job, get some sensory space in and some new tables with chairs.”

Leah’s manager, Kirsty Pilmore said: “This will go a long way towards setting up the sensory garden in the service and will positively promote the mental health for the people we support. Well done Leah, we are very proud of you.”

 You can find Leah’s Go Fund Me to reach her goal here: https://gofund.me/479f14d8

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