Barnack Primary School assistant head teacher raises £7,000 for Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation

An assistant head teacher has raised more than £7,000 in a hike from Peterborough to Portsmouth.

Connor Knowling, 27, assistant head teacher at Barnack Primary School, came up with the challenge in memory of his late father-in-law John Peyser who lost his three-and-a-half-year battle with lung cancer earlier this year.

John was a Portsmouth fan and Connor is a lifelong Posh fan, so Connor thought it a fitting tribute to walk from one football stadium to the other raising money for the charity which supported the family through John’s illness.

Connor set himself a target to raise £1,000 for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation but had smashed it months before the challenge.

He said: “Losing John inspired me to make a difference and raise awareness and support for the charity that helped the family through such a horrendous time.

“It was the most gruelling week of my life. We walked 177 miles, clocking up 403,706 steps.

“Amazingly, we have currently raised £7,020 - which I’m absolutely over the moon with.”

Connor walked with his friend Sean Garmony, who he said kept him going when the challenge got tough.

He said: “The pain from day four caused by overuse was really challenging to deal with - I had to wear an ankle and knee support, I was smothered in muscle rub and routinely taking pain killers. It required a lot of mental strength, to keep going.

“The different terrains posed a massive challenge. From farm fields, battling through brambles and stinging nettles, sinking into mud, clambering over fences and lots of elevation, such as walking over the South Downs.

“I categorically wouldn’t have been able to do it without Sean. He kept us positive and drove us forward each day.

“Family and friends also joined us on parts of our journey, giving us that little lift we needed to keep going.”