James Cripps, the Master of the Worshipful Company of Fuellers, will be walking the Ridgeway during the months of July, August and September to raise funds for:
(i)     the Fuellers Charitable Trust Fund  (the ‘FCTF’) , which was established in 1983 with its primary aims the relief of poverty and the advancement of education, research and assistance through awards, prizes and donations in areas connected to energy; and
(ii)     JDRF, the leading global type 1 diabetes charity, which works every day to help people live better with the condition, prevent people ever developing it and one day find cures.

James has been an adviser to the FCTF since the last century. He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1989 and is a past director and Chair of the JDRF UK Board.  The walks will consist of a series of dog friendly circular routes outlined in ‘The Ridgeway, A Dog Walker’s Guide’ by Debbie Kendall and Nigel Vile (available from Countryside Books or on Amazon and the walks as outlined in the book can also be found on the Alltrails app – available to download).

The Ridgeway is a National Trail of 87 miles (139 km) which follows the route of Britain’s oldest road, used since prehistoric times.  It starts at Overton Hill, part of the World Heritage site of Avebury in Wiltshire and travels in a north-easterly direction to its end on the edge of the Chiltern Hills at Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire (252 metres above sea level).  It passes very close to the home of James and Margaret, his wife, in Marsh, Buckinghamshire.

Each of the 20 walks takes in a section of the Ridgeway as part of a circular walk using other footpaths and celebrated trails including The Chiltern Way and Icknield Way. The walks are designed to be dog-friendly as James will be accompanied not only by Margaret but also by their two black labradors, Maia and Theia (see picture). The walks cover just over 100 miles, slightly longer than the Ridgeway.

Most days we will try (weather and conditions permitting) to combine two of the walks outlined in the book with a stop for lunch at a dog friendly pub – these are fortunately highlighted in the guide.  Daily walks will range from 7 to 11 miles, in most cases with a stop for lunch roughly half way and most of the terrain is easy although there are some steeper sections.

While specific dates and walk locations will need to be decided with weather conditions in mind (as well as Fueller, family and livery commitments!), we hope to cover the walks from Avebury to Goring (approximately 45 miles – 10 highlighted walks) over the course of July, August and September with the walks from Goring to Ivinghoe Beacon  (approximately 42 miles – also 10 highlighted walks) to be interspersed with the first set of walks.

As the latter walks are closer to home, the plan is to attack them on a more ad hoc basis.  Full disclosure: we have already completed the very enjoyable 5 mile walk starting at Bledlow in Buckinghamshire through Lodge Hill and Saunderton – highlighted as Walk 15 in the guide.

If you would be willing to sponsor our walks with a contribution to the Fuellers Charitable Trust and JDRF that would be wonderful.  We have set up a fundraising page on givewheel.com. We will continue to report our progress on the Fuellers website and hope to have covered all 100 plus miles by the end of September.

James and Margaret

July 2024

THE WALKS ARE OPEN TO ALL FUELLERS. 

INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO RECEIVE DETAILS FOR EACH WALK ARE IN THE MEMBERS' AREA - PLEASE LOGIN

HOW TO DONATE
You can make a donation via GiveWheel
All donations are split equally between the Fullers Charitable Trust Fund and JDRF.