Ely College pupils take on Malcolm Whales Dorset coast walk

From July 12-14, walkers from Cambridgeshire tackled the Dorset Jurassic Coast to raise money for the Malcolm Whales Foundation.

Damien Whales, who lost his dad Malcolm to bowel cancer in 2008, set up the foundation in memory of his father. Damien now organises a yearly walk for people to take part in, and has raised more than £600,000 for cancer charities since 2009.

This year, 400 participants took to the path including students from Ely College. 

Participants tackled the walk over three days. (Image: Damien Whales)  

Pupils from other Cambridgeshire schools took part too, including Ken Stimpson Academy, Prince William School, Hampton Gardens, Arthur Mellows Village College, Swavesey Village College, Ramsey Abbey School and Hinchingbrooke School.

The students were joined by families, friends and ex-pupils who gave the walk another go.

They began on the Promenade at Weymouth and passed Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door, before finishing on the beach at Studland.

It's a 40 mile walk which is spread across three days, and the participants got to camp just outside of Corfe Castle.

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This year, Damien's son, who is aged six, was the youngest person to take part. His middle son, Edward, turned eight during the walk and was the youngest person to ever complete the walk from start to finish.

Damien Whales has been organising the walk since 2009. (Image: Damien Whales)

The money raised from the 2024 walk is set to be a record breaking figure of just under £100,000, and all of the money raised will go to a variety of different causes.

The Malcolm Whales Foundation will be donating a large amount of money to the Foundation's Lakeside Retreat which is being built on one of the fishing lakes at Rookery Waters in Pidley, Huntingdonshire.

The retreat will provide free respite breaks for families that are affected by cancer.

The Jurassic Coast is a 40 mile stretch. (Image: Damien Whales)