A RETIRED vicar from Evesham is preparing to walk the length of England to raise more than £20,000 for an international disaster relief charity.
Rotarian Dave Foster, 71, from Evesham Vale Rotary Club, will begin a 700-mile journey on May 9 at Land’s End in Cornwall, for ShelterBox, before setting off towards England’s northernmost town, Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Dave hopes to complete the walk in eight weeks and, along the way, will navigate steep coast paths, battle overgrown footpaths, and unpredictable weather as he traverses the entire length of the Pennine Way.
The charity supports people around the world with shelter after disaster and was founded by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard in 2000.
Dave has even received a personal message of encouragement from Her Majesty Queen Camilla, in her role as Patron of ShelterBox.
This latest challenge follows Dave’s epic ‘ShelterBoots’ fundraising trek back in 2023, where he raised over £11,500 for the charity by walking 425 miles across the width of England and Wales.
Three years on, and Dave is almost doubling the distance he will cover and has set an ambitious new fundraising target.
Before embarking on this second adventure, Dave said: “After retiring, I had the opportunity to take on a new challenge, walking further and for longer than I’d ever done before and using that to raise funds for an inspiring cause like ShelterBox.
“Although I’d walked trails of up to 100 miles before, completing my 425-mile coast-to-coast in 2023 felt like an amazing achievement, made even better by the amount we raised.
“This year the walk is much longer and more challenging, exciting but daunting too. I hope I’ll be able to repay the trust of everyone who’s supported me.”
Dave will be supported by family, friends and Rotary clubs along the route and across the country throughout his journey.
He added: “After receiving many generous donations during my last challenge, I wanted to raise the stakes to try to fundraise even more in 2026.
“I’ve been involved in fundraising for ShelterBox for many years and admire its direct, practical approach.
“More and more people are being displaced from their homes through catastrophic climate events, earthquakes or conflict.
“We struggle to imagine what that must be like, losing not only your physical belongings but also the place where you belong, in terrifying circumstances.
“The first thing people need is shelter, a place to be, and the basic tools to rebuild their future.
“I can make a difference for just one family with the money we raise, it will be worth walking 700 miles for,” he added.
ShelterBox supports people left without anywhere to live after disasters or conflicts by providing shelter and essential items like blankets, solar lights, and kitchen sets.
Fiona Turner, Rotary engagement officer at ShelterBox, said: “We are so impressed that Dave has decided to once again support the work of ShelterBox by taking on his second epic walking challenge.
“Retired vicar to walk length of England to raise £20kIt will be wonderful to see Dave’s progress as he walks from south to north, all the time raising awareness of ShelterBox.
“We will be cheering Dave on every step of the way and keeping our fingers crossed for dry weather.”
ShelterBox is responding to crises around the world, including supporting people impacted by conflict in Lebanon.
With more than 1.2 million people, mostly women and children, forced from their homes in search of safety, the charity has launched an emergency appeal.
The charity is working closely with an on-the-ground Lebanese organisation SHiFT Social Innovation Hub and Rotary in Lebanon to support families forced to flee their homes.
Visit shelterbox.org/fundraise to find out more.
