A determined group of greeting card industry professionals will attempt to complete a 20-mile charity walk on Thursday morning (June 25) despite the official Cardgains event being cancelled due to extreme heat warnings
Calling themselves The Fellowship of the Walk, the five participants will set off at 6am in an effort to complete the route through the Cheshire countryside before temperatures reach their forecast peak later in the day.
The team consists of:
- Adriana Lovesy – founder of Greetings Lab and The Card Queen
- David Falkner – Cardology
- Tony Cottrell – Words ‘n’ Wishes
- Jon Davies – managing director, Set in Hand
- Chaye-Lee McQuade – Doodle Press
The original Cardgains Charity Walk was cancelled following weather warnings and concerns around participant safety. While fully supportive of that decision, the five walkers have decided to undertake the challenge independently, taking full responsibility for their participation.
All five participants are experienced walkers with good levels of fitness and are approaching the challenge with careful planning and preparation. The group will start several hours earlier than originally scheduled, carry sufficient hydration, monitor conditions throughout the route, and remain prepared to stop or shorten the walk should circumstances require.
Adriana Lovesy, founder of Greetings Lab and The Card Queen, said: “The organisers absolutely made the right decision in cancelling the official event given the forecast temperatures. Safety has to come first.
“However, the five of us felt that, with sensible precautions and an early start, we’d like to challenge ourselves and see if we can complete the route. We’re all experienced enough to understand our own limits and we’ll be making decisions throughout the day based on the conditions.
“It’s certainly going to be one of the toughest challenges we’ve taken on. Twenty miles is demanding at the best of times, but attempting it during what could be one of the hottest days of the year adds a completely different dimension. That challenge is exactly why we want to give it a go.”
The group plans to document the experience throughout the day via social media, sharing updates, photographs and video content from the route.
While there is no official support team and no organised event taking place, The Fellowship of the Walk hopes to demonstrate the resilience, determination and community spirit that are hallmarks of the greeting card industry.
The team is also encouraging industry colleagues, friends and supporters to get behind the challenge. Anyone wishing to sponsor the walkers can still do so via the Cardgains Charity Challenge JustGiving page, with all funds raised supporting the event’s chosen charitable causes.
“Every donation, no matter the size, is hugely appreciated,” added Adriana. “We’re incredibly grateful for all the support we’ve received so far, and if our slightly mad decision to attempt the walk inspires a few extra donations along the way, even better.”
Whether the team completes the full distance or decides conditions require an earlier finish, their priority remains the same: taking on a significant personal challenge, raising money for charity, and putting safety first.
