In the run up to Christmas, homelessness receives quite a large amount of press coverage. However, homelessness is something that sadly exists all year round. It is now thought that 320,000 people are homeless in Britain, including those living on the streets, sleeping in cars, trains, and tents, or living in temporary accommodation.  Nearly 5,000 are thought to be sleeping rough in England.

Centrepoint is the UK's leading charity for homeless young people - but what does that actually mean? It means that, together with their partners, they support 10,000 young people every year. They help 16-25 year olds into a safe place to live, give them a health assessment and plan support for their individual mental and physical health needs. Ultimately, they start them on the path to becoming independent and securing a job. More information on Centrepoint and what they do can be found on their website.

I have always been interested in trying to be a part of the solution to homelessness, through fundraising attempts in the past. And in 2019 I have decided to take this fundraising to the next level by doing something a little crazy.

During each of the four weekends in January, I am going to attempt to walk as far as I can in 24hrs (non-stop). I will start at early on the Saturday morning and walk until the same time on the Sunday morning. I will walk through the night, without stopping for rest (except maybe to change socks). Having done quite a bit of research around what is physically possible, I am aiming for approximately 60 miles (96km) in 24hrs. The starting point will be my house in Fulham (London) and the destinations will be:

- NORTH - First Weekend - Fulham to Cambridge
- EAST - Second Weekend - Fulham to Southend-on-Sea
- SOUTH - Third Weekend - Fulham to Brighton
- WEST - Fourth Weekend - Fulham to Oxford

I am more than happy for people to join me for one or more of the walks - whether it be for the full 24hrs or even a small section during the day. If you are interested in walking with me, please do get in touch!

More than anything I would love it if you could support me through your donations for this challenge. No donation is too small, and every penny is going straight to Centrepoint. 

If you would like to read about the challenge in a little more detail, or read the write up's from the walks then please visit my blog: https://bit.ly/2H2Lx5j

Thank you for reading, and for any donations in advance. Wish me luck!

N.B. Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.