He’s off to a strong start
Sandy and James set off on April 22(Image: Supplied)
An Edinburgh teacher has set off on a gruelling five-month hike which will take him from Mexico to Canada. Sandy Campbell, a science teacher in the capital, will be walking the Pacific Crest Trail with his friend James.
The duo set off from Campo on April 22. They’ll trek through desert, forest and mountain ranges through America.
Sandy and James are raising funds for Firefly International, a Scottish charity dedicated to supporting children impacted by conflict. Sandy said: “No child deserves to have their future stripped away by war.
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“As a science teacher, I see every day the joy and opportunity that education brings. It’s impossible to ignore how many children are denied that same chance.”
Sandy and James met at a summer camp in Canada in 2023 and bonded over a love of hiking. James said: “We were both looking for something bigger – an adventure that meant something.
“Raising money for Firefly allows this journey to have a lasting impact beyond the miles me walk.”
The duo are in for a challenge(Image: Supplied)
The team have been uploading to Instagram as they walk, and posted on day one: “Strong start from the two of us… James is already ill and Sandy’s fighting off blisters and chafing.
“That being said otherwise our bodies are feeling strong, with the relatively short days to warm us up. So far the desert has been super interesting with us spotting an estimated 15 lizards per hour and drinking one million litres of water.
“We hit a town at mile 20 and had some much needed American cuisine. James has developed an interesting technique of covering his face in white sun cream, possibly earning him the trail name of Snowman. To be determined…”
‘As a science teacher, I see every day the joy and opportunity that education brings’(Image: Supplied)
Their fundraiser adds: “No child deserves to have friends, family or their future stripped away by conflict and Firefly aims to restore some of that by providing education, mental health support and peace building initiatives to Palestinian refugee children in Cairo as well as Syrian and Bosnian children.
“In a world with ever growing states of conflict we hope to do our bit to help children have a chance at a normal life and a future.”
You can find James and Sandy’s fundraiser here.
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