Beth’s Miles for Refugees

Beth Saunders was inspired by APM colleagues to complete her first charity fundraising event, supporting refugees around the world.

Whatever the weather, and no matter how tired she felt, Beth walked several miles a day throughout September as part of  the British Red Cross Miles for Refugees, which challenges people to walk, swim, run or cycle the distance a refugee would have to travel to find safety.

Beth, service delivery assistant at APM, chose to walk a total of 108 miles, which is the distance between Calais and London. She walked between two and five miles a day, achieving her target by September 30. And thanks to sponsorship from colleagues, friends and family, Beth raised £286.57, well over her £150 goal.

“This is the first time I’ve done anything like this,” said Beth, who joined APM two years ago. “I’ve always thought it would be difficult asking people to sponsor me, but since working at APM and seeing how much others do for charity, it inspired me to have a go myself. It’s a very friendly, supportive place to work and my colleagues have really encouraged me to succeed.”

Beth explained how she decided which cause to help: “I wanted to do a physical challenge. I chose Miles for Refugees because, when I thought about it, most of us just want to enjoy our lives, spending time with friends and family, but sometimes something gets in the way of that. It could be war, it could be a natural disaster; where you’re born is all down to luck really. The British Red Cross helps reunite families and make sure people can get shelter.”

Beth managed to keep up the walking during her busy days by taking a lunchtime stroll near APM’s offices in Princes Risborough, then topped up her miles in the evenings around her home in High Wycombe.

“I really enjoyed it, it gave me a push to get out after being in the office all day,” said Beth. “It’s also given me more quality time with my mum, as I managed to drag her along on a lot of my walks. I’d definitely recommend it to others.”

Anyone interested in taking part in Miles for Refugees or supporting the British Red Cross in other ways can find out more via https://www.redcross.org.uk