In July 2021, during the Council for British Archaeology Festival of Archaeology, I travelled the country visiting local places, groups, archaeological sites and places as we celebrated everything that makes our towns, cites, villages and countryside so special and unique. I challenged myself to walk 100 miles over the 16 days of the festival (just over 6 miles a day) to celebrate the life of my mother, Sheila Redfern, who passed away in 2020. She taught me about the importance of curiosity, inquisitiveness and getting out and about to explore the places and environment around us. She was my absolute inspiration, and the trek was to honour her memory and I raised over £3,900.

My challenge for 2022 is to walk the full length of Hadrian’s Wall from West to East over 9 days (c10 miles a day) visiting as many of the heritage attractions along the way as possible.

I will be meeting local people whose lives are shaped by the Wall and posting my progress under #WalkingandTalkingYourWay#HardriansWall.

We have all been shocked and moved by the tragic images of death and destruction in Ukraine. This year I have decided to raise money for the British Red Cross Ukraine Appeal, and I hope you will be able to support me by donating generously.

Why Hadrian’s Wall? Well for three reasons; firstly, 2022 marks the 1900 anniversary of the Wall and I will be supporting Hadrian’s 1900 - the yearlong celebration of the wall. 

Secondly, as Director of the Council for British Archaeology our 2022 Festival of Archaeology theme is Journeys – and what better way to promote it than to make a journey of my own.

Thirdly, I am an archaeologist and I love a challenge. 

So many people have walked so far this year fleeing persecution that it seems right to dedicate my walk to support them.

Along the way I will be following in the footsteps of the archaeologist and artist Jessie Mouthersole. She undertook her own wall walk in 1920 and published her guidebook 100 years ago in 1922. As an archaeologist she understood the time depth of the landscape I will journeying across; as an artist, she new how to capture it in her paintings. I will be trying to locate the different images she created as well as seeing what has changed in the 100 years since her guide was published.

But most importantly this is about fundraising and I do hope you will be able to follow my progress and support the people of Ukraine in anyway you can.

You can read two personal testimonies to the current crisis sent to the CBA magazine British Archaeology here  https://www.archaeologyuk.org/news -and-resources/british-archaeology-magazine.html

You can follow my progress here and on Twitter at Neil Redfern (@RedfernNeil) / Twitter

You can find out more about the CBA Festival of Archaeology and how you can join in here Festival Council for British Archaeology (archaeologyuk.org)

You can see what's going on during Hadrian's 1900 and get involved here Hadrian's Wall 1900 (hadrianswallcountry.co.uk)

You can find out more about Jessie Mouthersole in a blog by Dr Amara Thornton here Amara Thornton (readingroomnotes.com) & about her work researching early women archaeologist here: Beyond Notability – Re-evaluating Women’s Work in Archaeology, History, and Heritage in Britain, 1870 – 1950.