LOCAL record store owner, Richard Churchyard, raised around £2,600 for the charity Alzheimer’s Society, when he hiked 100km (62 miles) for charity.
Richard took part in the South Coast Ultra Challenge, which followed the South Downs Way from Eastbourne to Arundel, to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Society in memory of his father, who died from dementia.
He took part in the challenge with his colleague Dave Feast. The pair, along with other hikers, walked continuously throughout the night, starting at 8am on Saturday 7th September, finishing around 5pm the next day.
“The walk went well and we had a mix of weather,” explained Richard. “There was lots of mud and slipping and sliding, it was very hard but I did find it better than others I have done in the past.
“It was quite spooky walking in the dark. Around 2.30am we were in a field of cows, which we had to navigate and there was lightening.”
This was not the first time that Richard, who owns the town’s independent record store, Raves from the Grave, has laced up his hiking boots for charity. He has hiked along the Jurassic Coast path and from Poole to Bridport and on the Isle of Wight to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Society.
“I would recommend for people to do it. The camaraderie is fantastic and the events are really well organised and signposted.
“The most challenging thing about walking through the night is that you have no sleep but I felt surprisingly ok and I didn’t really have any blisters and was able to go back into work on Monday, which I think is quite good for a 64-year-old!”
