Tag: Fundraising

Six years ago Chris Lewis made a “big change” after slipping into depression and anxiety and decided to walk the entire length of the UK coastline. His journey has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to support the armed forces.

A former paratrooper has completed a six-year walk along the UK coastline after spell of depression prompted him to “make a change”.

Chris Lewis’s 19,000-mile trek came to an end on Saturday at the same spot where it all started on Llangennith beach in Swansea on 1 August 2017.

His achievement has been acknowledged by royalty, with the King writing him a personal letter of congratulations on Saturday.

The letter, much to Mr Lewis’s surprise, was read today at Rhossili Bay in front of a large crowd by HM Lord-Lieutenant of West Glamorgan, Mrs Louise Fleet CStJ, JP.

It read: “Please convey my heartfelt congratulations to Mr Chris Lewis on the occasion of today’s special reception in Rhossili, which is being held to celebrate his exceptional fundraising efforts in support of SSAFA.

“I was touched to learn of Mr Lewis’ highly commendable achievement and inspiring journey, ahead of the completion of his impressive fundraising walk.

“I much appreciate your thoughtfulness in writing as you did. In return, I send my warmest good wishes to all those who are present, and particular to Chris, for a most enjoyable gathering.

“CHARLES R.”

Mr Lewis’s journey has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for the charity SSAFA, which provides practical and financial support to the armed forces.

He told Sky News he felt “proud” to have embarked on the walk, which saw him spend the COVID lockdown on an uninhabited Scottish island.

“I was ex-forces, ex-parachute regiment, and after this I became a single parent and somewhere along the line of that 10 years I started to slip into some depression, anxiety and essentially to sum it up I’d had a bit of a wobble,” he said.

“It was quite a serious one so I knew that I had to make a change and once my daughter flew the nest and she decided to go to Bournemouth to go to college, a couple of days later I stood at Rhossili and knew that I needed to make a big change and I needed to just get away to try and press the reset button.

“So I just had this epiphany that said ‘Chris, go and walk the UK coast’ and this really warm, excited feeling came into me, something I hadn’t felt for a long time and I’ve never looked back after that moment. Two days later I left.”

His “amazing” followers and supporters – who are in their thousands – followed the journey right to its end which marks a personal milestone for him.

“I think for me this finish is all about, and this is for anybody out there who’s struggling, if you’re having a bad time then the first part of it is just to go and make that change and just stick with it,” he said.

“So for me the finish line is all about having made a personal change, and it’s very rare that I will ever say this, but how proud I am for having done that myself and it’s worked.”