The ?Mayor of Ross-on-Wye, Cllr Harry Bramer, began his 10-day sponsored walk on July 30th in aid of a local charity, Papyrus.

Walking on his own, having pre-booked places to stay during his trip, the walk began at the start of the River Thames and finished at Teddington Lock on Friday, August 10th, where it becomes tidal – a distance of 151 miles.

Mayor Bramer told the Ross Gazette:?“Its great to be back in Ross! The fierce heat of last week turned to torrential storms in the last few days before completing my walk at Teddington Lock.

“Before the rain – I was amazed just how hard the ground was due to so little rain. With every step being felt not through blisters but just by ‘hitting’ the hard ground. I had a pair of professional walking boots with cushioning built in – but in the heat it was better to walk on roads as the tarmac gave more than the ground.

“This picture (right) was taken at Chertsey on the morning of my last day - and you can see that the Thames has really become a mighty river rather than the trickle it was in Gloucestershire.”

The Mayor selected Papyrus as his charity of the year, a national charity which started in Ross-on-Wye several years ago, following a family tragedy. Papyrus seeks to prevent young suicides.

Mayor Bramer said:?“I am delighted with donations to Papyrus – the charity that seeks to prevent young suicides - and to date the current walk total is over £800.”

“I should like to thank all readers of the Ross Gazette for their interest and their support which will make a big difference to the awareness of the charity.”

If you wish to donate, please visit the website: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/harry-bramer