52KM FOR 52%
On Wednesday the 13th of July Sam, Will, Jay, and Tom walked 52 kilometres. That is 33 miles, roughly 69500 steps, and took them about 14 hours.
Why 52km? 52 kilometres represents the 52% reoffending rate that has such a detrimental social and economic cost to our communities
At 5.30 am, with backpacks packed full of hydration sachets & copious amounts of snacks, they departed from HM Prison Portland, alongside the prisons Governor and a few staff members, to begin the first lap 10.4-mile lap around the Island.
The Isle of Portland is a tidal island, 6 kilometres long by 2.7 kilometers wide, in the English Channel. The southern tip, Portland Bill, lies 8 kilometers south of the resort of Weymouth, forming the southernmost point of the county of Dorset, England. Steeped in maritime history and heritage, there are museums, castles, and not one but three lighthouses to explore, not to mention the folklore and tales of pirates and smugglers to discover. Further to that, Portland stone has been quarried on the island for many years and is used in prestigious buildings all around the world including London’s St Paul’s Cathedral and the United Nations HQ in New York.
But most importantly for 100&First and its Foundation, it is home to HM Prison Portland. The prison where the Foundation launched its first-ever project and have since developed a powerful partnership, and has delivered 3 very successful projects, directly impacting over 40 offenders to date. Special mention to Rob, Debbie, Jules, Verity, Nigel & Spud (the dog) who joined in the early hours and in the darkest moments. The Foundation is so proud to work alongside HM Prison Portland and do the work we do.
14 hours and 3 laps of the island later, with plenty of blisters, waining backs, and great memories made, the team completed the final lap and finished outside the entrance to the prison.
Over the course of the day, there was an enormous amount of support and generous donations, providing the @Foundation with an incredible platform to invest in the work it does.
The team may have had tired legs and sore feet for a few days but are already planning for a bigger and better challenge & fundraiser next year.
Thank you for keeping us going,
100 & First Foundation