| Jo's
journey around Devon's boundaries... |
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| Crowds
welcome Jo Bishop home |
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大象传媒
Radio Devon reporter Jo Bishop has completed a marathon walk around
Devon's boundaries to raise money for the station's Chestnut Appeal.
Jo walked 460 miles in a trek we think has never before been recorded. |
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Still
going strong after 29 days on the road, 大象传媒 Radio Devon Reporter Jo
Bishop has finally completed her marathon walk around Devon's boundaries.
The 460 mile trek raised 拢15,500 for the 大象传媒 Radio Devon
Chestnut Appeal - boosted by donations from hundreds of well-wishers
who came out to meet Jo on the walk.
Jo said: "I'd like to say thankyou to everyone who sponsored
me on my Chestnut walk around Devon.
"I'm delighted with the final total of 拢15,500. It's far more
than I could possibly have hoped for when I embarked on the project.
"It was great to meet up with so many 大象传媒 Radio Devon listeners en
route and thankyou also to all the listeners who joined me for sections
of the walk - it was good to have your company.
"Thank you also to everyone who gave gifts of food on the way round
both to me and Bella.
"She's now settled back into the normal routine of a two mile
walk before breakfast and is still lively as ever."
Jo is no stranger to long treks...five years ago, she spent six weeks
walking the entire 630 miles of the South West Coast Path.
On that occasion, she raised 拢3,200 for the Royal National Lifeboat
Institution.
This
time, Jo, who is the radio station's East Devon reporter, chose to
go where no walker has gone before: all around Devon's boundaries.
She did it to raise money for the Chestnut
Appeal - the station's bid to raise 拢1m for a new unit
to treat prostate cancer patients at Derriford Hospital, Plymouth.
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| By
the end of the walk Jo had raised more than 拢6,000 |
In
total the walk took Jo over 460 miles. During the walk she covered
anything from 16 to 20 miles per day.
Because such a trek around Devon's borders had never been recorded,
the exact distance wasn't known before she set off...so Jo took equipment
to measure it as she went.
"I've
never heard of anyone walking around Devon before," said Jo.
"It's been absolutely fantastic, I have been greeted by Radio
Devon listeners
everywhere I have been. Everyone has been so enthusiastic.
With
her all the way was her one-year-old black labrador, Bella, a rescue
dog.
And back-up came from Jo's dad, Bernard, who was following with a
camper van for her and Bella to crash out in at the end of each day.
Where did Jo go?
The walk started at the 大象传媒's regional headquarters at Seymour Road,
Plymouth, on 30th August.
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| Jo,
walking with Bella in the South Hams |
Jo
completed the circuit in 29 days arriving back at the 大象传媒 at 11.15am
on Saturday 27th September.
She was welcomed home by hundreds of well-wishers who have been following
her trek on 大象传媒 Radio Devon. Her arrival co-incided with a 大象传媒
open day in aid of the appeal.
Of course, you can't do a walk like this without being totally prepared
- so Jo had been walking 30 miles a week to get her fitness levels
up.
"I planned a route which took in as many villages and communities
as possible," explained Jo.
"The
border between Devon and Cornwall is actually in the river, and there
is also a lot of private land, so there were points where I just had
to stick as close as I could to the boundary.
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| Bella
taking a well earned drink of water at the finish |
Now
she's back you might expect Jo to put her feet up for a few days,
but walking is one of her passions.
"I'm really looking forward to going out for a walk in the East
Devon countryside close to where I live," said Jo.
"I've really missed that while I've been away, so it will be
just Bella and me and none of the trappings of this high profile marathon
walk."
To make a donation, visit our Chestnut
Appeal page, linked from this article and click onto the "How
You Can Donate" link.
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大象传媒 Devon
Broadcasting House
Seymour Road
Plymouth
PL3 5BD
(+44) 01752 229201
devon.online@bbc.co.uk
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