Kempston woman’s Forrest Gump trek doubles her money for charity

Davina Farrer turned Forrest Gump this year trekking 850 miles on her own to raise money for charity.

Although a keen walker, she’s now determined to put her feet up in front of the fire over Christmas at her Kempston home in Naylor Avenue.

It was also a sentimental journey starting from her former family home in Clevedon near Weston Super Mare covering the coastal path to Poole in Dorset.

It took Davina almost three months to complete and she finished just as winter was drawing in.

She’s raised more than £4,500 so far for Ocean Generation whose goal is to keep the oceans clean and the seas plastic free.

Davina said: “The family used to live in the West Country and the coast has always been close to my heart.

“I just wanted to raise funds to help in whatever way I can.”

She completed the long 11-week walk alone, carrying just a tent and rucksack, and says she was neither afraid of sleeping under the stars nor lonely walking by herself during the day.

Davina estimated the journey would be around 700 miles to complete but in the end, she covered more than 850 miles - all in one pair of hiking boots.

She works for Utility Warehouse which is matching the money she raised - meaning over £9,000 will now go to the Ocean Generation charity.

Davina added: “There are thousands of Utility Warehouse partners up and down the country working hard to raise money for a variety of charities and good causes and to be selected in this way has made it all worthwhile. It’s made me feel rather humble.

"And I know my mum would be so proud.”