11:05am Monday 2nd October 2006
By David Paine
THREE men are setting themselves the challenge of walking the length of Hadrian's Wall in just five days in a bid to raise money for charity.
Andrew Pickering, of Bisley Close in Warndon, will be doing the 73-mile walk along the wall that separates England and Scotland with friends Brian Murphy, from Blackpole, and Brian Johnson, who lives in Liverpool, at the end of April next year.
The money raised from the sponsorship will go to the Acorns Chidren's Hospice Trust.
The 29-year-old, who works for a networking company, said that the idea came about when the friends were discussing things to do.
He said: "We just decided to do it for a bit of fun but then we thought we could help people in Worcester who are less fortunate.
"My wife suggested to do it for a charity so we phoned up Acorns to ask about it and they said yes please'."
Now the men are training hard to get up to full fitness.
Mr Pickering said: "I'm looking to get my weight down because I'm a bit of a big bloke." He spends one hour at the gym every day, plays five-a-side football and goes for walks on Sundays.
He has also just completed the Worcestershire Way - a 31-mile walk from Bewdley to Great Malvern in one day.
However, the three friends are still in need of some equipment for their journey.
They need to get tents, torches, cooking equipment and also footwear.
While they intend to buy most of the items, they hope that a company might help them out with some of it. Mr Pickering explained: "Brian Johnson has got the lot, I've got the bare minimum but Brian Mur'phy hasn't got anything."
Derek Weekes, spokesman for Acorns, said: "It's really amazing when people set aside so much of their own time to raise money for us. We really appreciate that."
To sponsor Andrew Pickering and his friends please go to http://www.justgiving. com/5days1wall
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