Northamptonshire pensioners aged 84 and 74 prepare for epic 95-mile charity walk to London

Nick Banham, aged 84, and his wife Kerstin, aged 74, will set off on September 21 for a gruelling 10-day journey along the Grand Union Canal towpath.

Their route will take them from Daventry to where the canal meets the River Thames near Kew Bridge, raising money for charity Harry’s Pals.

The couple have named their latest challenge Pensioners’ Pilgrimage 2, following their unusual fundraising adventure last year.

In 2025, Nick and Kerstin travelled more than 300 miles from Northamptonshire to Land’s End using only local buses and their free bus passes.

Their four-day Bus Pass Pilgrimage involved 18 buses, missed connections, delays and hostel stays.

This time, however, they are swapping buses for walking boots – and neither has previously completed long-distance walks or walked for consecutive days.

Nick said: “We knew we couldn’t run a marathon or climb a mountain, but we still wanted to do something that would challenge us and help Harry’s Pals.

“Neither of us has ever done any long-distance walking or walked consecutive days like this before, so it will certainly be an adventure.”

The couple became supporters of Harry’s Pals after meeting its founder Hayley Charlesworth and learning about the support it provides to parents whose children have life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.

Kerstin said: “Harry’s Pals fills a gap that simply shouldn’t exist. We feel privileged to be able to help raise awareness and funds for such an important cause.”

The charity, founded in 2022, provides counselling, therapy, peer support, mentoring and family respite opportunities and has supported hundreds of families across England.

Nick and Kerstin have spent months preparing for the walk and planning the route, which will take them across locks, bridges and miles of canal towpaths before they reach London.

Donations can be made through the Pensioners’ Pilgrimage 2 JustGiving page.