Updated on
A 74-year-old former RAF crewman, who was medically discharged from the service more than 40 years ago, is walking the Wales Coast Path to raise money for the Charity.
Roger Phillips, from Aberaeron, was a helicopter crewman with 28 Squadron Royal Force, based at the now defunct RAF Station Sek Kong, in Hong Kong, in 1979, when, on a routine training run, his aircraft pitched into the South China Sea, and he found himself trapped inside as the airframe sank.
He managed to break free of his harness to reach the surface just in time, where he was picked up, along with two crewmates, by a Chinese junk.
However, he was psychologically impacted by the trauma and a year later he was discharged with severe PTSD.
He said: “I like to say that, in the meantime, I have survived ‘admirably’, and I’m now, in my own way, trying to help those who have been less fortunate than I have been, hence this challenge. Ultimately, I’m hoping to go the whole way.”
Last year he walked 500 miles around the Scottish Highlands in 28 days and decided to maintain the Celtic theme by walking in Wales this year, to raise funds for the Charity. He left Chester on 23 May and is scheduled to reach the Llŷn Peninsula in the second week of June.
The Wales Coast Path was launched in 2012 – when it was heralded as the first dedicated coast path in the world to cover the entire length of a country's coastline – with an overall length of around 870 miles.
Our Area Fundraising Manager, Rhys Edwards, said: “Roger has set himself quite a challenge and we are immensely grateful he has chosen our charity to be the beneficiary. We wish him a safe walk and will keep everything crossed that he experiences only the best of the Welsh weather.”
To support Roger Phillips in his endeavour, please visit his Just Giving page.
Just like Roger, you, too, can fundraise for us.
Banner image of Ceredigion Coast Path courtesy of Jeremy Segrott
Share
