Widehorizons: A night walk to remember as trekkers support children's charity

News Shopper readers experienced a unique summer solstice as they wandered across the wilds of  Lewisham, Greenwich, Bromley, Bexley and north Kent to help youngsters enjoy the outside world.

Walkers had a choice of a 25km or 50km event with hundreds of florescent arrows pointing the way of the carefully planned route.

Some embarked on the journey at Eltham at 7.45pm and others began at 11.30pm in Horton Kirby near Dartford.

They were rewarded with soup and bread rolls at the half-way point and a hot breakfast on the finish line either at Horton Kirby or Wrotham, Kent.

The walkers paid a tenner to register and fundraised at least £90 each through sponsorship with all money going to Widehorizons - a charity which offers life-changing adventures for young people.

Widehorizons’ chief executive Alex Brooks-Johnson said: “It was a tough, but immensely enjoyable, night and I only got through it myself because of the contagious adventurous spirit of people that I met along the route.

“With the funds raised through Nightline, we will now be able to provide more affordable days of adventure for thousands of children, that could potentially change their lives."

Headteacher Andy Mathieson at Kelvin Grove Primary School, which is based in Sydenham, said: "We had a fantastic night - a great adventure and one that drew on all our reserves.

“Widehorizons are a fantastic charity and we all agreed that the walk was brilliantly organised. We hope more can join us next year for what we hope will become an annual event."

The charity also offers day visits and residential courses to schools and provides an Outreach Programme where Widehorizons’ tutors bring adventure to schools, using even the smallest of outdoor spaces to help children learn

Visit newsshopper.co.uk/nightline or widehorizons.org.uk/nightline for more information.

Facebook: facebook.com/widehorizonstrust

Twitter: @Widehorizons_uk