Alex Ellis-Roswell began walking around the entire coast of the UK and Ireland in August of last year. So far, he’s wracked up an astonishing 3,500 miles of the 9,500 he’s attempting to travel. What is he doing it for? For heroes, though he’s becoming a hero himself in the process.
All the money raised by his trip is going to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). “The volunteers who give up so much of their time and put themselves at risk for others in need are heroes.” Alex says he felt the need to change his life entirely after losing his father in 2013 and by August of 2014, he had set off on his incredible journey.
What’s his favourite thing about the journey? Why it’s you of course! “Some people travel to explore nature. And although the coast around Britain and Ireland is plenty beautiful, diverse and ever changing- it became clear to me quite early on that I was most interested in exploring people. What makes us similar. What makes us stand out from one another.”
He’s shared stories of the kindness, generosity and humour of the people he’s met along the way, giving him a home for the night, a meal and company. Messages of love and support also flood in on his fundraiser page. Maybe you’ll meet him along the way and offer him a bed for the night, maybe you’ll decide to donate. Even if we each learn to be a little more open with the people we meet in our own daily adventures, he’s already given the world something wonderful.
Taken from out autumn 2015 issue, subscribe to have the next four issues delivered to your door in print.