A man from East Yorkshire left blind after a near-death experience is planning his next fundraising hike in aid of Guide Dogs UK.
This time, Andrew Elliker-Reeve, of Beeford, near Driffield, is attempting the Trans Pennine Trail – with a few diversions added in – to make up a 300-mile walk that he will undertake this September. With around £28k already raised by Andrew through previous long-distance treks, charity challenges and public speaking, he is hoping to add another large lump sum to the Guide Dogs coffers.
He has a JustGiving appeal page for the walk, with a £15k total. Andrew said: “I’ll be starting the walk on September 7 in Southport and will be taking 22 days to cover the 300 miles, finishing at 2pm in Hornsea on September 28.”
Andrew’s usual concern is for enough sighted guides to accompany him on sections of the journey – but that is already sorted. “It took me about two-and-a-half weeks to get the 66 guides I need,” he said.
“This time, there’s another way people can help. I’m desperately short of sponsorship for accommodation on the route – I’ve only got enough for 11 nights at the moment – and if anyone could help with that it would be marvellous. Any fuel sponsorship for the support vehicle would also be very welcome.”
(Image: Travelling Blind/Facebook)
Andrew became blind after complications following surgery in 2020 to improve blood flow in his legs. Following a four-day spell of emergency operations, before which he was “fit and healthy”, Andrew ended up in a coma for ten days, and woke to find he was without a colon, had no functioning spleen and had lost his sight.
The dramatic change in both his physical and mental state meant Andrew struggled to appreciate any purpose in his life but thanks to “Lady R” – his wife Rebecca – Andrew turned a corner, began thinking more positively and started a blog, Travelling Blind.
Here he shares the ups and downs of paving his wave through life as a blind man. He has thousands of followers on Facebook, where he has most recently been sharing his plans for the Trans Pennine Trail challenge. He said: “I’m fine, I’ve not been ill for a while.
“I should be dead by now. I’ve had sepsis three times.”
In 2022, Andrew became the first blind man to walk the Wolds Way, 79 miles in seven days, following it up in 2023 by being the first blind man to walk the Cleveland Way, 109 miles over 12 days. Last year he completed the whole North East section of the King Charles III England Coast Path from the Scotland border to Bridlington, East Yorkshire, 245 miles in 21 days, all of the challenges completed with the help of teams of volunteer guides.
Please call Andrew on 07719490803 if you can offer your help in any way, or would like to find out more about the talks he gives. You can also find his JustGiving page here.
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