Sharpe's March Australia 2011

On Friday 15th July 2011, five intrepid Napoleonic re-enactors and our support crew of three, set off on an 80 km walk around Canberra working in partnership with The Sharpe's Children Foundation, who aim to help bring stability and education to the lives of orphaned children in the Third World.

This charity walk is an Australian first, but one we hope to continue. Re-enactors in England have been marching for many years for this cause.

We walked for three days in Napoleonic clothing around the cycle paths and walk ways of Canberra, averaging about 27 kms per day. 

We raised over $A600 and we are still collecting as our aim is to raise $A1000, we'd love your donation. 

So the highlights are (thanks Alex for this):

• March completed without fatalities, arrests but our bodies are letting us know that we did walk.
• The weather was perfect. Not too hot, not too cold. It was decided that a March in September (to bring it into alignment with the UK) would only lead to heat illness incidents.
• Stopped by police 4km before the end but they were quite nice about it. We even got a photo of them with us and let us continue on our hobbling way.
• Over $608 (£369.94) raised.
• Saw a magpie grab 2 mice on the path in front of us, fly off with 1 and his mate flew in and grabbed the other. No-one had ever seen that before.
• Saw people using hired Segways around Lake Burley Griffin and HAD to have a photo opportunity. Just to note that I did NOT use the Segway for the March. : )
• Saw a very large rat swimming in the lake.
• On the third day we were commenting how we hadn't seen any weird things that day. That's when we passed a large, purple waterbottle in the shape of a dildo.................
• Everyone was awesome and we had a great time, no matter how sore we were.
• Planning for the next March is beginning................

 Walkers

Wonderful people who gave up three days to support a fabulous cause, strangers at first, we built camaraderie as we marched and are now firm friends.

• John
• Alex - who organised the event through the English Sharpes March group
• Nick - who played bagpipes to keep our hearts light and out feet marching - Nick and Ricarda are the band Wayward
• Ricarda - who played hurdy gurdy and sang to keep our hearts light and out feet marching
• Lorna - The Tailor's Apprentice

Support team

Without them we would have starved and been thirsty.  They provided nourishing food and drink in plenty, they put up the signs and pulled them down, they took us to the start point and returned us home and then fed us again. They were fabulous!

• Deanne
• Jenny-Lee
• Jim

 What is the Sharpe's Children Foundation?

"There are over 200 million children destitute on the streets of The Third World. Every three minutes a child under the age of 5 dies of malnutrition. Incredibly, the world stands by and little is being done. The Sharpe’s Children Foundation believes

that education is the strongest world currency and the only lasting and durable weapon against child poverty and deprivation.

By establishing Sharpe’s Shelters early education centres - the first will be in Rajasthan, India - the actors of Sharpe feel they have found a unique way to make a real difference to the lives of destitute and forgotten street children. The Sharpe's Children Foundation are showing the world what can be done with very little. It begins with us, change can only begin in the moment we begin to see and feel and understand." (home page of The Sharpes Children Foundation)