Lancaster woman’s mammoth trek for Palestine passes 2,000 miles and hits £42k
Lancaster businesswoman Ruth Herbert has reached the 2,000 mile mark on her fundraising trek for Palestine.
Ruth is walking from her home in Arnside to Turkey on a solo expedition to raise money for UK registered charity Medical Aid for Palestinians.
Her initial fundraising target was £25,000 but she has now raised an incredible £42,000.
Since setting off in early May, Ruth has walked the length of England, across Europe and into the Balkans.
She is currently in her eighth country, Montenegro, having walked for 154 days and covered 2,000 miles.
Ruth has confronted and overcome all kinds of hazards, which have tested her emotional and physical strength – replacing worn out boots; navigating unreliable way markers and accommodation on pilgrimage routes through France, Switzerland and Italy; sourcing suitable food; and negotiating fields and forests, home to wild bears and feral dogs in Bosnia Herzegovina, while walking through meadows of unexploded mines, horrific reminders of a previous conflict.
She has traversed dangerous and perilous paths, carrying her belongings on her back.
As well as multiple challenges, Ruth has also experienced the welcome and kindness of strangers, who have funded treatment for her feet, paid for accommodation, taken her into their homes, and transported her bags.
In Montenegro, she has appeared on TV and been warmly welcomed by the Palestinian ambassador, Rabii Hantouli. who thanked her for her courageous initiative to support the Palestinian people.
Her journey continues with her enthusiasm and determination undiminished.
“The situation in Gaza has not changed, so we still need to speak out,” Ruth said. “When you have a political cause, you have to be there for the long term. Suffragettes did not win their cause overnight.”
Ruth plans to arrive in Turkey in November, having walked for more than six months and crossing through 12 countries.
You can follow her amazing adventure on Facebook and Instagram @bigtrek4palestine and support her fundraising for Medical Aid for Palestinians at https://www.justgiving.com/page/bigtrek4palestine
MAP – Medical Aid for Palestinians – is a British charity that offers medical services in the West Bank, Gaza and Lebanon, and advocates for Palestinians' rights to health and dignity.