Walkers raise awareness for Haiti

On Tuesday 2 February, thirteen Warwick students walked the eight miles from Leamington to campus to raise money for the earthquake victims in Haiti.

The walkers were made up of the CAS finalists who set up the fundraising group “Haiti at Warwick” two weeks ago, and several of their close friends and housemates. The group met at 8.30am outside the Parish Church, wearing various interpretations of the “full fluorescent rave gear” promised in their Facebook event. Needless to say, this exotic get-up attracted its fair share of strange looks along the eight mile walk, not to mention on the 8am bus that the five members of the group living on campus took into Leamington.

Ben Darlington undertook the important role of chief navigator, and skilfully led the group through two and a half hours of narrow roads and muddy verges. Ben took his responsibilities very seriously, often running ahead and slowing cars down to allow his twelve wards to cross the road safely. As a resident of Leamington who cycles into campus for lectures, Ben was well suited to this task. However, during the walk he was heard saying that “you don’t realise how dangerous these roads are until you’re walking along them.” Certainly, there was a practical reason for the group’s choice of attire, as in the grey and rainy weather it was imperative that the oncoming, and fast-approaching vehicles were able to see the walkers in good time.

The group received numerous signs of support from these vehicles with which they shared the road, perhaps spurred on by a sign made by Sofia Camisa encouraging people to “Honk for Haiti.” Other walkers had made T-shirts advertising the group’s “Just Giving” website, which was set up by Francesca Doggart as an easy way for people to sponsor the walkers and donate to charity. At the time of writing, this site had made £1,224 – close to three times the £500 target set by the group, and raising the total money raised by “Haiti at Warwick” in around a fortnight to over £2,000.

The aim of the group was to arrive on campus in time for an 11.15 seminar, and despite the adverse weather conditions, this goal was achieved. The walkers were welcomed by Professor John King, who generously bought his seminar group and several of the other participants a congratulatory Bread Oven baguette.

As the _Boar_ reported in its last issue, “Haiti at Warwick” expressed the importance of extending the fundraising initiative in the long term. In the post-walk glow of endorphins and baguettes, future plans of half-marathons and completing the “Three Peaks” challenge were suggested, showing that while the walkers arrived saturated with rain and splashed with road water, their spirits and motivation were left intact.