Charity walker will be through the Harborough area as part of 250-mile trek seeking 'kindness of the towpath' - can you help him?
A charity walker who is passing through Market Harborough in July as part of a 250-mile canalside trek is appealing for spots to pitch his tent during his time in the area.
Mark Willis is taking on the epic journey this summer in aid of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and The Canal & River Trust.
He is calling his challenge a Kindness Amble for Canals, Cats & Canines and will be joined by his faithful chipoo Nina on route.
He will push Nina in a modified pushchair which will be fitted with solar panels and fans to keep his companion cool.
Mark’s 23-day walk will start and finish at Diglis Basin in Worcester, with the ninth day featuring a ten-mile route concluding at Union Wharf in Market Harborough.
Mark is the non-executive chairman of Surplex UK, a company he co-founded in 2004, which specialises in IT asset disposition.
He chose Battersea Dogs & Cats Home as one of the charities to benefit following the death of the company’s late office cat Jasper, which they adopted through Battersea.
Meanwhile the Canal & River Trust has been chosen as the other charity to benefit following a 50-metre breach on the Llangollen Canal near Whitchurch in December, which was caused by a leak beneath the canal bed.
The collapse released an estimated 100 million gallons of water with two narrowboats washed into the breach while a third was left suspended.
Mark hopes his donation can help the Canal & River Trust stabilise the ground and contribute towards the rebuilding of the embankment.
During Mark’s walk he is relying on the kindness of the towpath, and he is looking for a patch of grass near the waterways around Foxton Locks overnight between July 8 and 9 on which to pitch his tent.
Anyone who owns a canal-side pub, manages a marina or has a secure garden near the waterways around the locks and is willing to provide a space is asked to email [email protected].
Overnight camping has already been provided by Braunston Marina, The Weighbridge Inn and The Swan at Fradley.
Donations can be made towards the challenge by visiting a dedicated page on the Surplex website.