The first in a trilogy of endurance events

Our modern way of life, urbanisation, increasing population and seemingly insatiable demand for natural resources is damaging our natural environment. Our pace of life continues to increase and we are bombarded 24/7 by unfiltered information via social media. Our traditional family and community networks are breaking down and poor mental health is emerging across the world as a challenge we appear unable to afford to tackle and yet cannot afford not to. Through the imbalance of our making we are becoming detached from the very environment we rely on to sustain us and our future generations. Sir David Attenborough’s ‘Blue Planet II’ documentary shone a bright light onto the damage the collective human race is doing to our oceans and its creatures. There is now, more than ever before, a growing movement to change our behaviours and correct the damage we have done. The risk in ignoring our natural land environment and green spaces needs corrective action through a unified and collaborative approach.

What is Walk 4 Life?

Walk 4 Life is the first in a trilogy of endurance feats involving Africa, under the overall banner of W4L, which are aimed at highlighting the need for education on mental health and conservation issues over the next five years. The second event will be Waves 4 Life - sailing a dhow from Oman to the Save River on the Mozambique coast, a distance of some 6,800km (+/- 4,200 miles). The third event will be Wind 4 Life - flying a hot air balloon from the Mozambique coast, across Africa, to the Namibian coast, a distance of some 2,200km (+/- 1,400 miles). These will all be conducted by the founders of Consolidated Africa Services (CAS). Walk 4 Life seeks to draw the world’s attention to the challenges imposed on our natural environment, to reconnect us with it and contribute to a worldwide movement that will change our habits and behaviours. Thereby helping ensure we nurture and live in balanced harmony with our planet.

Walk 4 Life will be a world-first continuous walk around Lake Kariba, situated on the Zimbabwe/ Zambia border. Created by damming the mighty Zambezi River, Lake Kariba is the world’s largest man-made lake by volume and is one of the largest by area. The walk will cover 2,200 kilometres (some 1,400 miles), will cross challenging terrain and will encounter some of the world’s most magnificent and dangerous animals, such as lion, elephant, buffalo, hippo, hyena and crocodile.

The Reason Behind W4L

This endeavour isn’t about a walk; it’s about contributing to a worldwide movement of people who better understand the impact we have on our planet, with every individual prepared to do their bit to make positive change happen. Through publicity surrounding this extraordinary endeavour we will draw attention to the damage we are doing; via our education programme we will enable people to learn what each one of them can do to help our planet; and via fundraising we will provide funds that will allow programmes to be delivered, that will have a positive impact in conservation, education and mental health. The use of these funds will be to generate sustainable projects that will last well into the future. Everyone has a collaborative role they can play, which will contribute in a meaningful way to this demonstration of global collective unity in addressing these pressing issues.

Education, conservation and mental health issues are ones we feel are absolutely vital, not only to improving the lives of the disadvantaged, but also preserving the natural heritage of which we are caretakers, for future generations to come. Many answers lie in the wilds of the natural world, within which ancient civilisations have co-existed well before the human population explosion came to threaten it. This imbalance now needs urgent action. We can all do our bit and together have a positive effect for generations to come.

If we are to create a worldwide movement, we need worldwide support from individuals and businesses that care deeply about how we exist with our planet. Every one of us has a duty to ensure that future generations will inherit a natural environment that they can live in harmony with.

Nick Holme, the leader of the endurance expedition around Lake Kariba says: “As a Dad, I have become increasingly concerned about the world my children are going into. Our lives are simply too pressurised, leading to serious mental health issues that could otherwise be avoided and the unscrupulous greed of a few is leading to the extinction of some of our magnificent animals, which simply won’t be around for future generations to enjoy. I felt I had to do something about this and if it takes an endurance event like walking around Lake Kariba to help educate people about the dire position we are sleepwalking towards, then I believe it will be a worthwhile goal to achieve. We really do need to wake up and tackle these issues before it is too late. With this walk I want to model an innovative new approach and I am not afraid to challenge strategies that are failing.”

www.w4life.co.uk