PICTURE GALLERY: Wellingborough student walking 700 miles to French war battleground stops off in home town

A student from Wellingborough who is walking 700 miles to raise money for a war veterans charity passed through his home town today as he neared the halfway mark.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Jun 2016, 15:54 BST
Updated 15th Jun 2016, 16:57 BST

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Jordan Blunsom, 22, is walking from his university in Durham to the Somme in France.

He started walking more than 22 miles a day on May 31, having been in the Armed Forces for four-and-a-half years before leaving to study history at university.

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Mr Blunsom reached Wellingborough Council’s offices at about midday today (Wednesday), before heading to the cenotaph with the mayor.

Speaking before he set off, he said: “I’m doing the walk for Walking with the Wounded, which is a fantastic charity.

“They help injured veterans and their families with stuff like accomodation and getting them back accustomed to society.

“I was in the Armed Forces for four-and-a-half years until October in Southampton but wasn’t deployed to anywhere like Iraq or Afghanistan.

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“I’ve been working out the route and it’s about 22 miles a day, so getting on for a marathon for 31 days straight.”

Mr Blunsom aims to reach the Thiepval Memorial in time for the centenary of the Battle of the Somme on July 1.

The Battle of the Somme was one the bloodiest battles in the First World War, with more than a million troops wounded or killed.

A fundraising page set up by Jordan has raised more than £1,500, with donations still coming in.

To donate to Jordan’s cause, click here.

To follow Jordan’s progress, follow @Durham2theSomme on Twitter or follow the Facebook page.

Related topics:WellingboroughArmed ForcesDurhamFrance