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Walking Home for Veterans' Charity - Ipswich Town News

Following the match at Fulham on Tuesday 15th December, Town fan and local politician Alasdair Ross will be walking most of the way home to raise money for the Walking With The Wounded charity. Alasdair, 53, who was in the army for 25 years, first in the Royal Green Jackets and then with the Rifles in Afghanistan in 2009, told TWTD why he is making the walk.


This December, I am Walking Home for Christmas. This is a fundraising initiative from the Walking With The Wounded charity. This is a charity close to me as it supports a project that helps homeless veterans back into employment.

It is a sad fact that many veterans end up in prison or homeless. For every one soldier physically injured, five will be mentally injured.

Walking With The Wounded ask people to just ditch the car, tube, bus or train and get walking even if it is just a mile or 100.

I wanted to make this as difficult as possible so that I feel I am making a sacrifice both in time and physically, so I am walking 64 miles from Chelmsford to Ipswich, on my own, across country and starting at midnight.

This will be the furthest I have walked in one day since 1996 and my first real challenging walk since I started limping (my knee packed in in 2009), so it will not be easy!

On December 15th, after Town have played in West London at Fulham, I will get the train back but only as far as Chelmsford where I will get off with my high viz vest and Santa hat and then using the Essex Way will walk back to Ipswich.

My first steps will be at midnight and after 64 miles I expect to be back in Ipswich late afternoon on the 16th. I will be on my own and 90 per cent of the journey will be on footpaths and over fields, not on roads.

I hope some Town fans will want to sponsor me — my charity page can be found here.

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