Tim Openshaw: 'Around Wales in 80 Days'

Tim Openshaw embarked on a remarkable ‘Around Wales in 80 Days’ in a fantastic effort to raise money for Velindre Cancer Centre.

Today, one in two people in the UK will experience a form of cancer in their lifetime. The reality is that no family is left untouched.

That’s why Tim, founder of Welsh website St David’s World, took on the challenging feat of a 870 mile walk around the Welsh Coastal Pathway, raising a remarkable £9,707.34.

Tim started his walk in Chester and after 80 gruelling days, finished in Chepstow, achieving his goal of walking all around Wales.

Tim experienced some of the most beautiful parts of Wales, expressing that he had many favourite spots.

“Going down towards Aberdaren, Amlwch, on the north side of Anglesey. Pembrokeshire is a winner for most people. It was great to go down there. Every day, there were beautiful beaches, beautiful coves. Seeing seals and up by Llandudno, red squirrels in Anglesey.

“There were a lot of good days, a lot of interesting places. There’s a lot of places that I’d like to go back to on the motorbike as well.”

During the walk, Tim had many people around the country show overwhelming support for the cause.

“It was amazing, the amount of people that I met. The first person was a guy in Bangor, who let me borrow his trousers when I realised that mine weren’t waterproof!

“There was Sarah and her daughter in Caernarfon, who drove 40 minutes to pick me up. Ralph and Caroline, they drove out of their way when I met them in Anglesey.

“When you finish a day or you start a day, it could be about five or six miles to go back to where you’re staying or where you finished the day before, so those miles that you walk don’t count.

“I got back to the Llyn Peninsula and had to go all the way back to Caernarfon, so it was great that Sarah gave me a lift. There was also a baker gave me a lift in the back of his van.

I had ten free nights that people donated. Also, people stopping me while I was walking and making a donation. It really was fantastic how many people are out there with good will.”

The president of funding for Velindre Cancer Centre is former Wales rugby international Jonathan Davies, who was also keen to show his support.

Velindre is Wales’ premier cancer centre, providing treatment, care and support to patients and their families.

With the charity being local to Tim’s home in Whitchurch, the St David’s World founder felt that he wanted to support the fantastic work they are doing.

“Velindre are my local charity, but I think we all know people who have been affected by cancer.

“It’s one of those things that keeps coming up in conversation every week where someone themselves or their family has been affected, so it was an easy choice to support them.”

Deputy head of fundraising at charity, Kylie McKee, expressed her gratitude for Tim's effort.

"We're grateful for every penny we get at Velindre because we see the difference that even £5 or £10 makes to our patients, so to raise over £9000, that's an incredible amount that will make a huge difference to us.

"For Tim, not to have any personal connection to the charity, to do something that challenging, it's not just the mileage he walked every day, but it was staying away from home for that long on his own.

"With no previous connection to Velindre, I thought that was absolutely incredible. I went and met him at the finish in Chepstow and he said it was his local charity, that was his reason.

"It's an incredible gesture from someone to do what he did. The amount raised is phenomenal. He's very special."