Six men take on Scottish Highland hike for children’s charity Swings and Smiles in Thatcham

A group of 23-year-old men are donning their hiking boots and thermals next week for a wintery walk in aid of local children with special needs.

Six young, and very excited, friends from Basingstoke are taking on the Scottish Highlands, in February, one of the coldest months of the year, to raise funds for a Thatcham charity.

They will be walking 125km from Inverness to Forthill, for a week in the highlands to support the children at Swings and Smiles - a cause that friend, Ella Brown, picked out for them.

Former Thatcham town council events intern, Miss Brown, put her experience into practice and put the boys in touch with one of the mayor's chosen charities, Swings and Smiles.

Before heading out on their trip, three of the six boys paid a visit to the charity centre to greet the staff and meet Thatcham's mayor.

The men, Ella and their seven-month-old dog Teddy had a tour of the centre, as service users enjoyed the facilities, and saw first-hand who their efforts would be helping.

As they walked through the gardens and sensory rooms, the children in the centre met and played with Teddy, providing the men with an emotional experience, which will help drive them on if energy falls low on the trek.

Swings & Smiles senior play leader Ellora Neatte showed them around and said that they may be the first to do such a walk in aid of the charity.

She added: “It is really important to us all, the support and funds they raise for charity, to help provide support for families and children and the siblings.

“It is a big commitment. We are really grateful we have people to help us.

“It will be really appreciated here. When the families hear about it, they will be grateful.”

Thatcham mayor John Boyd was in attendance to see the men off and wished them the best of luck.

He said: “It is amazing that they will take their time, do this arduous trip, to raise money for less advantaged children.

“It was Ella who got in touch with me, to tell me that her team were doing this and that they agreed to have Swings & Smiles as their charity. She had worked with the town council and was aware of our fundraising efforts.”

He added: “Swings & Smiles is in the heart of Thatcham, people still don’t know they are there. Things like this, media coverage of the efforts that young people go to, to support them is vital.

“I wish them all the best, I hope the weather is kind to them.”

They had previously embarked on a charity walk, for a friend who contracted cancer and who joined them on their 140-mile expedition.

This time round though, Adrian Day said, there would be less of them on the trip, and their hike would be shorter than the last - though taking on the Scottish Highlands, may make it their toughest challenge yet.

He said: “It’s not the distance it’s the weather.”

This time though, before a charity was chosen, the journey was decided in the spur of the moment while Mr Day and fellow teammate Lawrence Fannon were out and about.

“We were on a walk and we said that we wanted to go to Scotland," Mr Day said. “We found out that you could get a flight to Inverness for £17. We had it straight in the group chat.”

Though joking that his mother wasn’t too keen on the extreme expedition, Mr Day reassuringly said: “We are all best mates. It is for a good cause.”

Teammate Dan Hunter has already taken on the role of “safety expert” and said that the walk should be fine provided that the group pack sensibly.

“We need to pick what we need for the next couple of days, stuff that keeps you going," he explained.

“We need to balance the weight with what stuff we are using.”

While joking about not having a tent just days before the expedition, brother and fellow teammate, Ryan Hunter, added: “I am partly concerned but we have all got waterproofs.

“The distance is not the worry, it is more the weather, we have waterproofs and tarps and stuff.

“It is a battle with will, it is a mental battle.”

He commented on how the cause will be their source of motivation: “It is amazing really, when we did it for the first time, it was for a charity helping save lives and this is helping children in need.

“Doing something good, I feel that is useful for us, to be a motivational reminder of why we are doing it.”

Miss Brown said that she herself was both excited and nervous to see the men go but noted that it was inspiring to see them take on the elements for a greater cause.

She said: “It’s become a passion for them, going on adventures together.

“It is inspiring, as [Ryan’s] girlfriend. There’s him and his friends going to do these amazing things. It really takes a particular person.

“I have every faith in them.”

Adrian, Ryan and Dan will be joined by friends Lawrence Fannon, Toby Warn and George Tilbrook.

Though they hadn’t yet left, or found a tent, they were sure that they would be completing more challenges like this upon return.

They will be leaving on February 3, for their six-day-long expedition.

Donations can be made at https://www.swingsandsmiles.co.uk/fundraisers/the-great-glen-way-charity-walk-for-swings-smiles-