STEPHEN MORRIS – DREAM-A-WAY 2016 BECAUSE I CAN CHALLENGE – WALKING THE STREETS
My first contact with Dream A Way was back in 2009 when it was the Lord Mayor of Exeter’s Charity of the Year.
I was a member of the Exeter Twinning Circle committee at the time and the twinning circle hosted a fund raising event for the charity.
What impressed me about the charity at the time, and still does, is that the volunteers who run the charity claim no expenses whatsoever, they are all true volunteers.
Earlier this year I was reading the Express and Echo online and I came across an article which gave details of Dream A Way’s 2016 “Because I can” challenge.
I’ve been walking in and around Exeter for a number of years and I started walking when my wife, Kathy, and I decided that we would go to Peru for a holiday with our sons Gethin and Carwyn. Part of the holiday was to walk the Inca trail and I thought that I’d better get fit for the walk.
I worked in the Met office at the time so during lunchtime I would go for a walk of about two or three miles.
It also got me out of the Office for a while!
I decided to keep walking once I had retired so that I would keep fit and my walks gradually got longer and longer!
With no thought at all I decided to sign up to the Because I Can Challenge and said that I would walk 1,000 miles in and around Exeter by the end of October.
I really enjoy walk
ing through the parks in Exeter especially Ludwell Valley Park and Heavitree Pleasure Ground and I also enjoy walking along the canal and river from Countess Wear to St David’s via St Thomas.
Not only does the walking keep me fit but I also meet a lot of very nice, friendly people while I’m walking.
The most difficult road in Exeter to walk along in my opinion is Belvedere Road because of its very steep slope.
So I nearly always arrange my walks so that I come down that hill not up it!
I usually have two walks a week but a lot depends on the weather – I don’t walk in the rain!
The longest walk I’ve done so far this year is 20.56 miles and I’m already over halfway to my target of 1,000miles.
Only another 481.47 miles to go!
By the time I’ve walked a 1,000miles I will have walked every public street and path in Exeter.
So if you haven’t seen me walking yet you will soon- coming to a street near you Because I Can
Dream-A-Way chairman Jeff Merrett said :
“This Because I Can Challenge really is a tremendous local challenge and we all wish Steve all the very best
Keep looking out for him in a street near you and offer him some words of support Thanks Steve”
The attached pic shows Steve in action walking across Trews Weir bridge
