Our supporters often come up with unusual ways of fundraising for the hospice, but it was a first when we heard friends John Schindler Glastonbury and Daniel Jeive were going to be blindfolded and left 150 miles from home with no money or phone. They would have two and a half days to find their way home, relying on the kindness of strangers to help them – all while asking for donations to St Wilfrid’s. The pair hoped to raise £3,000 but did so well they collected more than £8,300.

“It all started one afternoon in our local pub, The Aqua Bar, when we decided we wanted to do something for charity,” Daniel said. “John is ex-army and came up with the idea of ‘Lost for a Cause’ for St Wilfrid’s as they’d cared for his mum.”

With the support of their friends Mark and Gill Darbyshire, and Nicole and Neville Morgan, the planning began. “It might have been Daniel and me doing the challenge, but the others worked so hard creating t-shirts and taking care of the social media promotion in the run-up and during,” John said. “We couldn’t have done it without them.”

The challenge started at 4am one August morning. “Wearing our matching t-shirts advertising the challenge, we were blindfolded and put in Mark’s pickup truck,” Daniel said. “He ended up dropping us in Portland Bill, just the other side of Weymouth, and then we were left to our own devices.”

The pair took buses, trains and were offered lifts from the general public to get between towns, and were bought food and given free meals. “Our t-shirts drew people’s attention and once we told them the story they’d want to help. We were either let on buses and trains for free, or other passengers offered to pay,” John said.

“Pubs were a good place to go for food and donations. Landlords would send us to other nearby pubs where they’d have spread the word and staff would be expecting us,” John said.  “Social media was really helpful for that, too.”

Making their way home, they passed through areas including Dorchester, the New Forest, Chichester and Brighton. They slept in bushes, on Brighton seafront, and one landlady even offered them the unfurnished flat above her pub. “This challenge really highlighted that there are still great people out there,” Daniel said.

“On the final morning, we were told to make our way to Sovereign Harbour, where a boat would pick us up. The challenge coincided with the end of Aquafest, a big event The Aqua Bar puts on, so when we jumped off the boat and swam to shore, a large crowd from there had gathered to meet us. It was a surprisingly emotional moment,” Daniel added.

Reflecting on the challenge, John said: “Not having money was difficult and there were times when we wanted to stop. We were very tired by the end because we’d walked so far, plus we hadn’t slept that much – but that’s all part of it. It was worth it to show our support for St Wilfrid’s. Everyone knows someone who has used their services and it’s one of those charities that is close to everybody’s heart.”

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