Dave Young Walks 99 Miles, Raising £3,342 for Charity

99 Miles, 226,651 Steps, and £3,342 Raised for Our Charity Partners

At ISL, we’ve always believed in going the extra mile for our communities. Our Chief Executive and Co-Founder, Dave Young, recently proved that in the most literal way possible – by walking 99 miles from his home in South Leicestershire to our head office in Macclesfield with Coach Sean.

What started as a 91-mile route soon grew longer thanks to reroutes around bogs, bulls, and even an electric fence, bringing the final total to 99 miles and 226,651 steps over 7 days.

The Challenge

The pair set off with a simple but ambitious goal: to raise money for ISL’s 11 charity partners, each chosen by our services across the North of the UK to reflect causes close to their hearts. These include:

• Equine Pathways UK

• Street Life Blackpool

• Dougie Mac

• Chance Changing Lives

• Silklife Foodbank Macclesfield

• Farnworth and Kearsley Foodbank

• St Nicks

• Stick ‘n’ Step

• Live! Cheshire

• Manna House

• Alsager and District Foodbank

Highs, Lows, and Everything in Between

Along the way, Dave experienced the full spectrum of walking challenges:

• Tripping (and grazing himself) twice.

• Navigating through fields of bulls and cows.

• Re-routing when the bulls were looking a little too stern.

• Electric fences.

• Battling the heatwave on Sunday.

• And a moment where he discovered a “senior meal deal” for over 60’s! He wasn’t too impressed with that one.

These moments made the challenge all the more memorable — and showed the determination behind every step.

The Result

By the time Dave reached Macclesfield at around 2pm on the final day, he had raised an amazing £3,342. The funds will now be shared between our 11 partners, helping support vital work from foodbanks to mental health charities.

And for everyone at ISL, it was more than just a fundraising walk — it was a reminder of what we stand for: going further to support people and reduce pressures on the NHS by helping those with mental health challenges, illness, or learning disabilities live as independently as possible.

Thank You

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who donated, supported, or cheered Dave on along the way. Your generosity will make a real difference in communities across the North of the UK.

See some of the footage on our Instagram and be sure to follow for future fundraising fun!