Shelter recently launched its No Home Kit campaign, encouraging English Professional Football teams playing at home during the festive period to wear their away strips to raise awareness.

As of today, the English Premier League has decided not to support this campaign, which subsequently sparked a lively debate on Talk Sport Radio between Simon Jordon (Former Chairman of Crystal Palace FC) and Dale Vince (Chairman of Forest Green Rovers FC).

Well, Crystal Palace are a team close to my heart having been an apprentice professional there in the 1980s and Forest Green Rovers have become my adopted club over the past few seasons.

And so, this mad idea was sparked to show the impact clubs outside of the Premier League can have and by raising some awareness and money along the way. In addition, and equally importantly, I will be doing the walk in memory of former Aldershot, Sheffield Wednesday and Newport County Professional Footballer, Richard Walden. Richard sadly died aged 61 in 2009 and had a huge impact on so many lives.

The Challenge

UPDATE 20/12/2021

Due to the FGR v Colchester fixture being cancelled due to a  COVID outbreak, the challenge was rearranged to take place between 24-26/12 with longer walking days. Unfortunately today the Boxing Day fixture v Newport has also been cancelled with The Welsh Assembly expected to implement further restrictions in Wales in the coming days. As a result of this news it is with much disappointment that the decision has been reached to POSTPONE, NOT CANCEL the walk until the Newport v FGR fixture has been rescheduled and COVID Restrictions lifted.

So, here’s the agenda

Richard ‘Rolls Royce’ Walden made 193 appearances for Newport County between 1978 and 1981. During this time, Richard lived in the same road as my family in Fleet, Hampshire and coached my junior school football team.

Richard was a very humble man and a true professional whose encouragement played a part in my own aspirations to become a professional footballer as a youngster.   

Other Causes

Finally, although I will be doing this walk for Shelter, there are a few other causes I would like to mention and that I will hopefully be able to feature somehow along the way.

The Offside Trust  An organisation founded and run by survivors of child sex abuse in sport. Sadly, some of my friends and former teammates from my days at Southampton have been directly affected by this. www.offsidetrust.com

Walking and Talking Charity Founded by retired professional sportsmen to highlight the benefits of walking and talking in the great  outdoors to help combat mental illness. www.walkingsbrilliant.com

Camp Beagle - Free the MBR Beagles This dedicated group of animal rights supporters have been camping out in harsh and perilous conditions in Cambridgeshire for months on end to help secure the release of hundreds of Beagles kept in barbaric conditions, awaiting a life of torture in UK research laboratories. www.thecampbeagle.co.uk

Thank you for taking the time to read the details of my walk. I would really appreciate your support on behalf of Shelter and in memory of Richard.

Ashley

#therichardwaldenwalk #nohomekit #beatthebus