Wood for Trees sets foot across Ireland in aid of Concern Worldwide

2 March 2022 | Blog

Back to Blog

At Wood for Trees, we love a team challenge, especially if it involves keeping fit, tracking data and supporting a good cause! In the past, we’ve completed the London Triathlon, Revolve24 cycling challenge and Bournemouth Half Marathon, all in support of our favourite charities (read more here).

Last year, we completed the Camino de Santiago – a 463 mile walk between Saint Jean Pied-de-Port in the French Pyrenees and Santiago de Compostela in Spain. In the midst of  a national lockdown during Covid-19, this was a virtual challenge, walking the distance close to home. Competing against each other in four teams, we raised over £600 split between each team’s chosen charities (read more here).

Following the success of 2021’s expedition, we’ve decided to dust off our walking boots and complete another walking challenge this month (March 2022), embarking on a virtual walk around Ireland in aid of Wood for Trees’ chosen charity of the year and long-standing client, Concern Worldwide.

The humanitarian charity’s founders, John and Kay O’Loughlin-Kennedy, hail from Ireland, so we thought it fitting we complete the 729 mile circular route from Carrick-a-Rede to Giant’s Causeway all around the Emerald Isle (read about Concern Worldwide’s history here).

Charity walk route

  • Carrick-a-Rede
  • Belfast – +88km/128,740 steps
  • Brú na Bóinne – +123km/180,293 steps
  • Dublin – +45km/66,838 steps
  • Waterford – +150km/219,400 steps
  • Rock of Cashel – +69km/100,971 steps
  • Blarney Castle – +94km/137,732 steps
  • Killarney National Park – +75km/109,798 steps
  • Cliffs of Moher – +128km/187,239 steps
  • Clonmacnoise – +124km/181,270 steps
  • Giant’s Causeway – +267km/389,488 steps

Each of our four teams aim to complete the whole 729 miles (in the fastest time), which equates to 104 miles in total or 3.36 miles/7,800 steps per day for every team member! And, at the end of March, we’ll meet for a well-deserved pint of Guinness to celebrate the end of our journey.

Charity walk teams

Sham-rockers

  • Lesley Duncan
  • Geoff Hartland
  • Rob Dyer
  • Jane ‘Bean’ Tippetts
  • Aimee Smith
  • Naomi Hurst
  • Paul Smith

Good things come to those who walk

  • Matthew Tamea
  • Jon Kelly
  • Laura Leach
  • Peter Gray
  • Paul Brennan
  • Alison Ogden

Psycho paths

  • Lucy Jenner
  • Siobhan McCarthy
  • Andy Lamb
  • Kayleigh Philps
  • Ben Perch
  • Stephen Brown
  • Linda Jeffery

We don’t talk about Josh

  • Andrew Sargent
  • Nick Cook
  • Clare Cooper
  • Tim McKenzie
  • Alex Henderson
  • Josh Hopkinson
  • Kate Houghtaling

Wood for Trees will donate £1 for every 10 miles covered by each team, up to the target 729 miles, to Concern Worldwide’s newly launched Ukraine Crisis Appeal. We’ve also set up a JustGiving page if you’d like to support us along the way (donate here).

Keep up-to-date with our progress by following us on social media and tell us which team you’re rooting for: