450 mile 'Walk of Kindness' gets underway to help Norfolk charity
The group are walking between South Wales to Ditchingham between August 26th and October 10th- to raise money for Emmaus
Four people who have been helped by a homeless charity in Norfolk and Waveney are setting off on a 450 mile walk to raise money for the group, so they can help more people.
Carlton, Jagger, Peter and Chloe are making their way from St David's in South Wales to Ditchingham, on Emmaus' 'Walk of Kindness'.
It's taking place between 26th August and Thursday 10th October- and equates to roughly 10 miles a day.
"I've had dark days"
Mick Jagger is 62 years old and from Bradford:
Mick is a reformed gambling addict. He lost hundreds of thousands of pounds betting mainly on horse racing. He borrowed and stole from family and friends to fund his addiction and has been disowned by his family. He's spent time as a rough sleeper.
Mick Jagger is not the name he was born with. He changed his name by deed poll to escape his past.
"If it wasn't for this charity, I'd still be addicted to gambling and I don't think I'd be here at all. I've had dark days, begged for food and scrapped in bins for it. Desperate times".
"This is a stable platform and it gives me a reason to get out of bed"
Carlton Clisby is 28 years old and from Attleborough:
Carlton's mother died when he was two. His American serviceman father struggled to cope with Carlton and his two siblings and when Carlton reached 18, he was asked to leave home.
He spent the next six years working in a string of low-paid jobs and sofa surfing with friends and family. In 2019, he went to Emmaus, Colchester for help before moving on to Emmaus Norfolk and Waveney.
"When I was homeless I was very pessimistic about the whole thing. It was my friend who applied to Emmaus for me. I remember coming here and all the dread about not knowing what to do coming to end. This is a stable platform and it gives me a reason to get out of bed".
"I lost track of days and hours and eventually ended up living in my car"
Chloe is 24 years-old and from Royston:
Chloe has battled addiction since she was a child. She was an alcoholic at the age of 11 and went on to abuse drugs, including cannabis and cocaine.
She spent three months living in her car before moving to Emmaus two years ago.
“Before Emmaus, I wasn’t living, I was just existing. I started drinking at the age of 11 and it all spiralled from there. All I could think about was getting the next drink. I lost track of days and hours and eventually ended up living in my car. I’ve got a home now at Emmaus, I’ve got a bed, I’ve got people and family – everyone at Emmaus has become my family.
Peter Rope - age 52, originally born and brought up in Rhodesia
Peter had a mental health crisis in 2022. He tried to take his own life on two occasions and was hospitalised for a month after the second attempt.
He's now on medication, is very happy at Emmaus, but is hoping to move back into the community after the walk.
Who are Emmaus and what do they do?
The homeless charity offers residents, known to the charity as companions, with a home and community for as long as needed.
While here, the 'Companions' also receive therapeutic support, work, and training opportunities to help re-build their confidence, self-esteem, and independence.
The Walk of Kindness comes as an estimated 3,898 people slept rough in 2023, an annual increase of 27% - the largest rise since 2015, according to official stats.
"I think The Walk of Kindness is something we all need now"
Emmaus tell us they plan to use the funds raised through the Walk of Kindness to grow and open a new social enterprise Bed & Breakfast within the 19th century convent site where the charity is based
Once open, the charity say the annual income from one B&B room will provide someone who has experienced homelessness with a home and support package in Emmaus for a whole year.
Cecile Roberts, CEO of Emmaus Norfolk & Waveney, is also taking on the Walk of Kindness and says:
“The Bed and Breakfast is going to transform the work we can do at Emmaus, we’ll be able to offer more diverse training and work opportunities for existing companions and have the income to welcome new people into our community and out of homelessness.
“The Walk of Kindness is going to be a really special journey. I think The Walk of Kindness is something we all need now, when more of us are experiencing loneliness, isolation and mental health issues. We’d love to see the public join our tribe by taking part in our fundraising challenges and coming together to support our companions along the way!”