A group of local veterans are preparing to walk the perimeter of the Salisbury Plain Training Area in just 24 hours to raise money for an armed forces charity.
They will cover 62 miles as part of Operation Walk the Plain, marking the first anniversary of the West Wilts Walk, Talk and Brew club which meets monthly in Warminster.
Five members of the group, including four from Warminster and one from Hastings, will complete the 100km route from 23rd to 24th May.
The group has so far raised nearly £3,000 for Who Dares Cares, a charity which started the walking groups and also provides support to veterans and emergency service workers with PTSD.
“The four that live locally train twice a week with a short walk, eight miles on a Wednesday night, and a longer walk on a Sunday,” said Gary Gass, who runs the group. “We are building up to a half-distance walk for training.
“It has been going well but, with most of us having old injuries, it is starting to take its toll, but we are determined to get it done. We want to face a challenge head on, to raise money to support fellow veterans.”
The Walk, Talk and Brew groups provide veterans and those who experience mental health problems with a safe place to socialise with others in similar circumstances and a place to be advised of services within the charity that may be of benefit to them.
The West Wiltshire group usually meets at 10am on the last Sunday of the month at the Warminster Civic Centre. They go for a walk together before stopping to chat over a hot drink.
For more information about the charity, visit https://www.who-dares-cares.com/walk-talk-and-brew-groups
To donate to the fundraiser, visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/operation-walk-the-plain
