Arriva bus driver Neil Atherton once again took up the challenge of walking bus routes to raise money for charity on Sunday 27 April, completing a challenge that saw him walk 50 miles along routes operated by Arriva North West
in a single day. The trip took him between six depots, with the first leg from Southport to Bootle, where Neil started his challenge at 0420hrs, covering 16 miles. He then continued on the five-mile leg to Green Lane, followed by 10 more miles to St Helens. The final two legs took him from St Helens to Speke, a further 12 miles, and then onwards to Runcorn over the final nine miles of his walk, arriving at 2215hrs.
After over 17 hours and 50 miles, Neil collapsed with exhaustion after his walk, but says he will keep going, with two more events planned this year.
Neil began raising money in 2020, in order to try and help families facing financial difficulties, and his charity walks have taken him along Runcorn, Cheshire and Merseyside bus routes in seven days two years later, as well as a Durham to London trek. The money raised has been used to help fund local food banks and homeless shelters. Neil told local newspaper The St Helens Star: “I’ve never seen so many people running over to me, or getting out of their cars to come and give me money. People loved what I was doing it for, and I had a few people come and join me for parts of the walk and waiting for me at the depots. It really felt like a community who were all working together towards the same goal, and it’s been so humbling to see so much support from people, in person and online.
“Food banks shouldn’t really be a thing but people are using them more and more all over the country, so that’s why I’m trying to do as much as possible to raise awareness of them. It’s human nature to help others and I think people do want to support things like this, especially when it’s such a a crazy idea, and the support I’ve had has just been phenomenal.” Neil has a dedicated page for donations at gofund.me/dec85937.
