InXpress franchisee raises much-needed funds for charities

Stephen Wadsworth beats heat and walks 82 miles over three days

An InXpress franchisee has raised thousands of pounds for several charities after completing an 82-mile sponsored walk.

Stephen Wadsworth, who runs the global shipping specialist’s Derby & Nottingham franchise, walked from Ilkeston to Skegness with a group of friends.

The trek began early on July 31 - which turned out to be the hottest day of 2020.

Stephen explains: “We wanted to get 30 miles completed before the sun could do its worst, which meant setting off at 4:30am to walk from Ilkeston to Newark.”

Fortunately, the group spent most of the day walking alongside the River Trent, where they benefited from a welcome breeze. But the route wasn’t without its challenges.

“The path alongside the river is uneven, which took its toll on our ankles,” Stephen says.

“It was a tough first day, but we were determined to power through and raise the money for those who needed our help.”

The group walked 30 miles from Newark to Coningsby on day two, while the final 22-mile stretch between Coningsby and Skegness was completed on day three.

“Although the temperature was somewhat cooler on day two, our feet were still aching from the day before,” Stephen says.

“It was a long, hard slog, with ice baths all round when we reached our goal.

“We had aimed to raise £500, but with all the support we had a final total of £6,500 for charities we each care about deeply.

“These included Sands, a still born and neonatal deaths charity, Dementia UK and children’s charity Ben’s Den.”

InXpress encourages its franchise network to give back to local communities and charities on an ongoing basis.

Rob Williams, franchisee and member of the InXpress Gives Back UK Charity Committee, says: “This spring we launched our High Five Forever campaign.

“We’re committed to make a bigger difference to causes that are close to the hearts of everyone within the InXpress family.

“By working together, we can generate funds and support the charity efforts of individual franchisees. So it was great to be able to support Stephen and his team with their long distance walk for charity.”