Jim roughs it on epic trans-Pennine journey

“I’ll now be hiking along the canal from Manchester to Marsden and on to Huddersfield.

“It’s only just struck me that for nearly three days I won’t be able to wash or buy food. I’ll only have the clothes I’m wearing. It’s not the cold so much I’m worried about - it’s the damp if it rains.”

Jim currently organises the Fans For Foodbanks initiative where football fans provide donations for the Welcome Centre at Huddersfield Town matches.

The lifelong Town fan will start the walk from Manchester city centre at 6am on Saturday, March 3 and hike to Marsden along the canal before staying at a refugee shelter.

He will then spend the following night sleeping on the streets in Huddersfield town centre with nothing but a sleeping bag.

“The hike is around the whole idea of feeling displaced on a long journey while relying on other people’s kindness”, he added. “Similar on a small-scale to the plight of refugees.

“My own grandmother was a refugee herself and fled Prussia in the last days of World War Two before coming to the UK.”

DASH supports people escaping war and persecution and who have been settled by the Government in Huddersfield.

The charity give advice, help with casework and rehousing and provide food, clothing and toiletries. To sponsor Jim’s challenge, visit his page here. (https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/jameschisem1?View+your+page=View+your