Hi everyone,

On September the 6th I am taking part in The 100 Shoe Walk with Stuart Paver and Matt Lovelock from Lepra. We will be walking 3-miles bare foot around York bar walls.

The aim of the walk is to raise awareness of the #WorldsForgottenDisease and to raise £1,000 to fund 100 pairs of protective shoes for people affected by Leprosy.

Despite it being 2024, Leprosy still exists in many parts of the world. Today, 600 people will be diagnosed with leprosy; 50 of those will be children.

Our chairman Stuart Paver is an ambassador of Lepra and it's a cause which is close to his heart. In 2015, Pavers funded Lepra's first mobile shoe van which travels across the Indian state of Bihar delivering protective custom made shoes to help those affected by Leprosy and Lymphatic filariasis .

Ulcers are common among people affected by sensation loss due to leprosy. One of the contributing factors is uneven foot pressure. When walking, high pressure is exerted in areas of the feet, which can cause repetitive stress and damage, resulting in ulcers.

If left untreated, or if there is continuous stress on one foot, ulcers can lead to further damage, infections and permanent disability. Having protective footwear takes the pressure off such areas and restores balance. It also helps to reduce the occurrence of ulcers and speed up healing of existing wounds. This in turn allows people to quickly return to their daily lives, and an improvement in wellbeing.

£10 could make a huge difference to someone's life.

For donations over £250 - we will add your name/business to our t-shirts and give you a shout out on social media channels!

Want to learn more about Lepra?

https://www.lepra.org.uk/

Want to learn more about Pavers?

https://www.pavers.co.uk/pages/foundation

Photographs by Tom Bradley