We caught up with our fundraiser Peter Kenny ahead of his 230-mile walking challenge along the Cape Wrath Trail.
Can you tell us about your challenge and why you decided to fundraise for PAPYRUS?
I’m walking the Cape Wrath Trail in Scotland in May, 230 miles of remote and wild country between Fort William and Cape Wrath. I’ve also recently got a ballot place in the London Marathon in October, so I’m making it a two-stage challenge.
After our son Jamie died by suicide in 2019 the first two years were taken up by his funeral, the investigation and inquest and just coping and grieving day to day. We heard about the ‘3 dads walking’ in support of Papyrus last year and joined them for one section.
This helped me to decide to do something active both in Jamie’s memory and to help the work of young suicide prevention.
What are some of the ways in which you have maximised your fundraising?
I used Facebook mostly, setting up a page for the challenge and linking it to a just giving page. I also messaged all my FB contacts individually and went through my email contacts too. I asked people to ‘share’ the FB page too, which they’ve done.
I’ve made a short video every week of my training walks, talking about the challenge, Jamie and Papyrus. I got interviewed on BBC Radio Leicester and I posted everyone a link to it.
A local business agreed to host a collecting tin
What is the most effective method of raising funds in your experience?
I think telling Jamie’s story, then the videos and keeping people up to date.
Do you have any advice for others who would like to find more ways to raise funds and maximise their total?
Build a network through ‘likes’ and ‘sharing’ and then keep in touch. Also, ask people for their support directly through email/messenger. Give people a few things they can do, not just donate. If they ‘like’ the page they’ll see future posts, if they ‘share’ it they’ll widen your network.
Peter Kenny
