First Stage of 100 Mile Trek Completed - Eastbourne to Winchester

FIRST STAGE OF 100 MILE TREK COMPLETED - EASTBOURNE TO WINCHESTER 1 to 4 June, and 3 to 5 August 2002 Eastbourne resident Steve Cannell has completed the first 57 mile leg of his attempt to walk 100 miles from Eastbourne to Winchester in eight days or less, to raise funds for the Poppy Appeal, over the Jubilee Bank Holiday. Keen walker Steve, 38, and his sister-in-law Corinne Gentry walked 17.6 miles on day one, 15.9 miles on the second day, 15 miles on day three and finished with a relatively easy 6 mile trek on Tuesday 4 June. The duo aim to finish the remaining 46 miles to from Amberley to Winchester from 3 to 5 August. Steve, who works for the Legion as a Clubs Advisor for London and the Home Counties, said: "It was hot but the sea breeze kept the suntan down! Walking from Eastbourne to Southese on the first day was idyllic - Cuckmore Valley and Alfriston are countryside straight out of 'The Vicar of Dibley'. It was a harder slog from Southese to Hassocks on day two as the sun was beating down and we had to climb Gun Hill, although the views across to Ditchling Beacon were well worth the effort. "We were climbing again on Monday up the Devil's Punchbowl and Devil's Dyke en route to Washington, although we missed the turning and had to walk an extra two miles along the A24! We decided to do the last day's route backwards and started at our planned finish point, Amberley, and walked back to Washington at lunchtime. A pint of London Pride has never tasted so good! Plus we were home in time for the football, cricket and the Jubilee celebrations." "The trip was great and we're all geared up for the next section. It's no wonder that Blake was inspired to write 'Jerusalem' whilst sitting looking out over the South Downs: the view was wonderful." Steve hopes to raise more than £500 towards the £48million the Legion spends each year offering practical, emotional and financial help to some 5.5 million ex-Service people and their 7.5 million dependants. If you would like to support the Poppy Appeal or join all or part of the walk, contact Steve on 01323 643 822 Notes to Editors The Royal British Legion is Britain's leading ex-Service charity protecting the interests, welfare and memory of ex-British Service people and their families and dependants since 1921. Some 13 million people - of all ages - are eligible to approach the Legion for support. All its work is funded through the Poppy Appeal and the donations and sponsorship of individuals, groups and businesses which support its aims. In 2000-1 Poppy Appeal raised a record total of £20.1 million and the Legion aims to raise an even greater total in 2001-2. For photos/interviews/information on the walk contact: Steve Cannell - 01323 643 822 Further information from: The Royal British Legion - Rachelle Simpson - 0207 973 7264 or rsimpson@britishlegion.org.uk Issued by: The Press Office, The Royal British Legion, 48 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5JY Tel: 0207 973 7265/7296/7292 Fax: 0207 973 7239 ISDN Broadcast studio: 0207 321 0476 (By prior arrangement) Internet: www.britishlegion.org.uk Email: rsimpson@britishlegion.org.uk Legion Releases can also be downloaded from http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/about5.cfm ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/06/10/20020610BIT00580/wkr0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/06/10/20020610BIT00580/wkr0002.pdf