Group to finish 225 mile walk to Birmingham on Father's Day
The childhood friends are raising money for the British Heart Foundation and Help Harry Help Others in memory of their dads
After covering over 140 miles on foot through Wales, the four childhood friends behind The Walk 2025 are now into the final stretch of their 11-day, 225-mile walk to Birmingham.
Their aim: to arrive in Chamberlain Square by Father’s Day, Sunday 15 June, raising money for the British Heart Foundation and Help Harry Help Others, a cancer support charity.
The walk began on 5 June in Llangwm, Pembrokeshire, and has taken the team - Neil Hames, Marc Brook, Paul Maynard and Mike Rose - through coastal paths, steep climbs and the rugged terrain of the Brecon Beacons.
Along the way, they’ve been joined by charity supporters, local residents and fellow walkers moved by the cause.
The team are walking in memory of their fathers and others affected by heart disease and cancer. The initiative was inspired by Neil’s father, Wally Hames, who passed away in 2020 just before Covid lockdown and never had a proper funeral.
All four are walking to honour Wally and their own fathers and loved ones affected by cancer and heart diseases.
“Each day has pushed us physically and emotionally,” said Neil. “But the support we’ve received along the way - from strangers, families, even passersby - has kept us going.”
With a few days remaining, the group is calling on the public to join them for part of the journey or to help by donating. They are especially encouraging people from the West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Birmingham to walk with them during the final stages or come out to support them on the route.
They are on track to reach Birmingham on Sunday 15 June, marking Father’s Day with a final arrival into Chamberlain Square — an emotional tribute to the loved ones they are walking for.