Schoolboy to walk ancient long-distance trail for Luton Foodbank

A schoolboy whose family was once helped by Luton Foodbank is to raise funds for others on a long-distance trail.
Dirk Withnail visits Luton Foodbank, meeting Thakor Morarji, Luton Foodbank board member and  Paul Turvey,  Luton Foodbank warehouse manager.Dirk Withnail visits Luton Foodbank, meeting Thakor Morarji, Luton Foodbank board member and  Paul Turvey,  Luton Foodbank warehouse manager.
Dirk Withnail visits Luton Foodbank, meeting Thakor Morarji, Luton Foodbank board member and Paul Turvey, Luton Foodbank warehouse manager.

Dirk Withnail, aged 10 from Luton, will be walking the entire 139km of the ancient Ridgeway National Trail from Avebury in Wiltshire to Ivinghoe Beacon in the summer holidays along with his dad Greg.

Dirk and his dad will be carrying everything they need to eat and sleep for the nine days they expect the walk to take.

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Dirk is raising money via his website www.dirkwalks.blogspot.com and donations are processed securely by Luton Foodbank’s donations facilitator Virgin Money Giving. Dirk’s target is £1,390 which is £10 per km and so far donations total more than £300.

Dirk’s family received food parcels from Luton Foodbank three years ago and he has never forgotten the huge difference it made to them.

Greg said: “He usually spends all of his pocket money on items for the Luton Foodbank collection trolley in his local supermarket.

Dirk took time out from a training walk on Wednesday, April 6, to visit the Luton Foodbank warehouse, where he was given a guided tour by board member Thakor Morarji.

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He met warehouse manager Paul Turvey and some of the volunteers who sort and distribute the donated food items and Dirk told them about his fundraising walk. The money raised will go towards buying food items which are in short supply.

Luton Foodbank’s most needed items are milk (UHT/powdered), fruit juice (carton), biscuits, fruit (tinned), meat (tinned), breakfast cereal (500g), and spreads such as jam. A full list, and details of collection points, is available on Luton Foodbank’s website at www.lutonfoodbank.org.uk

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