Logistics specialist Stephen Wadsworth was the toast of InExpress this summer by walking a gruelling 82 miles to raise thousands of pounds for good causes.
In a summer dominated by Covid-19, it’s always good to hear heart-warming stories of people going ‘above and beyond’ to help those not as fortunate as themselves.
One such tale is that of Stephen Wadsworth, a logistics specialist with InExpress who, together with a group of friends, decided to walk 82 miles to raise money for a number of charities.
Stephen’s group had set a target of £500 but when the dust had settled, and the money had been totted-up, they discovered they had beaten this figure tenfold.
The final amount was a remarkable £6,500, meaning all of their hard work had paid off with spectacular results.
Stephen, of InXpress Derby & Nottingham, had planned this walk for months, with the group undertaking a heavy training schedule beforehand.
The walk, between Ilkeston and Skegness, was scheduled to last three days and took place during a seriously hot spell of weather.
Stephen takes up the story: “We wanted to get 30 miles completed before the sun could do its worst. This meant setting off at 4:30 in the morning on Friday July 31st, to walk from Ilkeston to Newark. According to weather reports, it was going to be the hottest day of the year – so far.
“We departed from our home-office in Ilkeston and, fortunately, most of the day was spent walking alongside the River Trent – so we had a slight breeze to help us. Having said that, the path alongside the river is uneven and this took its toll on our ankles. It was a tough first day, but we were determined to power through.”
Day two was another 30 mile hike, this time from Newark to Coningsby. Stephen added: “Although the temperature was somewhat cooler on Saturday, our feet were still aching from the day before. It was a long, hard slog, with ice baths all round when we reached our goal.”
The final 22 miles on Sunday connected Coningsby with the east coast Lincolnshire resort of Skegness.
“We aimed to raise £500, but thanks to all the support we got, we had a final total of £6,500” explained Stephen. Among the charities to benefit from the group’s gruelling three-day walk were SANDS (still born and neonatal deaths), Dementia UK and Ben’s Den.
And head office, who encourage their franchisees to become involved in good causes, are proud of Stephen’s group who survived a tough few days raising an impressive amount of money for varies charities.
InXpress have instigated a ‘Gives Back‘ initiative, aimed at supporting charities. Rob Williams, franchisee and member of the InXpress ‘Gives Back UK Charity Committee,’ said: “We are committed to making a big difference to numerous causes, especially those which are close to the hearts of everyone within the InXpress family.
“By working together, we can generate funds while supporting the efforts of individual franchisees. It was great to be able to support Stephen and his team, and their long-distance walk for charity.”
The breaking news from InExpress is that Stephen is already planning his next challenge for May 2021, when he hopes to raise more money for good causes.
About InExpress
InXpress is in the express logistics business, with over 360 franchisees providing consultative services and innovative software to small and medium sized enterprises around the world. Founded in 1999, the company’s global headquarters are in Manchester, England, with InExpress operating in 14 countries. They have annual revenues in excess of $165m, with as many as 96 franchisees in the UK.
