St John Ambulance Cymru volunteer closes in on fundraising target

A St John Ambulance Cymru volunteer is nearing the final stages of his 1,000 mile Walk Around Wales in support of the charity, having raised £55,000 so far.

Retired engineer Eric Goulden, who is a member of the Holyhead Division, began his walk in 2024.

He first completed walking Offa’s Dyke before deciding to set off from North Wales along the Wales Coast Path last September, walking on weekends only.

After taking a break over the winter months, he resumed his trek along the 1,062-mile route at the end of March, starting in Aberporth and reaching Penmaen on the Gower Peninsula on the 18th May.

Having split the route into 69 sections, Eric set himself a fundraising target of £69,000 and is hoping to reach this figure before he completes his challenge, with the finish expected to be in July.

‘Beauty’

Eric said: “I’ve been so lucky with the weather, it’s been great. I’ve been staggered by the beauty to be honest, it’s spectacular and the wildlife’s wonderful.

“The highlights have been the people I’ve met along the way. I just bump into people, people talk to me and because I’m walking for St John Ambulance Cymru people are interested in what I’m doing.

“I’m doing this to raise awareness of St John and people genuinely want to know what we do and I talk about the benefits of volunteering. I’ve certainly got a great deal of benefit from volunteering and I think it’s a good thing to do.”

Dedication

St John Ambulance Cymru Chief Executive, Richard Lee added: “Eric’s efforts epitomise the dedication and hard work St John People demonstrate in communities across Wales every day, providing first aid, sharing lifesaving skills and responding to calls to help patients through our work with partners including the ambulance service.

“We are so proud of Eric’s achievements and so grateful for the amazing fundraising total he has reached so far. We look forward to cheering him on as he nears the end of his amazing walk around Wales.

“If you’re walking on the Wales Coast Path somewhere between Penmaen and Chepstow over the next few months, you may well bump into Eric in his green St John Ambulance Cymru t-shirt.”

For the latest updates on Eric’s walk and to donate to his fundraising total click here

If you would like to fundraise for St John Ambulance Cymru or find out more about volunteering with the charity visit here.