Pensioners' 100 Mile Pilgrimage Ends in Brentford
Nick and Kerstin Banham complete extraordinary walk for Harry's Pals
Holiday Inn Brentford Lock
October 2, 2026
Two Northamptonshire pensioners have completed an extraordinary 100-mile walk from Daventry to London, finishing their final leg in Brentford on Wednesday (30 September) after ten days on the road.
At 84 and 74, Nick and Kerstin Banham set out with no previous experience of long-distance walking, carrying their backpacks every step of the way. Their goal was simple but ambitious: to raise awareness and funds for Harry’s Pals, a charity that supports parents whose children have life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.
The couple began their “Pensioners’ Pilgrimage” on Monday 21 September, walking day after day through Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire and West London before tackling their final 12-mile stretch from Uxbridge to Brentford. By the time they reached the finish line, they had covered around 100 miles on foot.
Harry’s Pals founder and CEO Hayley Charlesworth said the achievement was “incredible”, adding: “At 74 and 84, they have got up every morning, put their backpacks on and kept walking — mile after mile, day after day — because they want to make a difference to parents facing some of the most heartbreaking circumstances imaginable.”
Kerstin and Nick became supporters of the charity after learning how little emotional support can be available to parents when a child is diagnosed with a life-limiting condition. Harry’s Pals provides counselling, therapy, peer support, mentoring and respite opportunities to help families cope with the emotional impact of devastating news.
The couple are no strangers to unusual challenges. Last year, they travelled more than 300 miles from Northamptonshire to Land’s End using only local buses and their free bus passes — a journey involving 18 buses, missed connections and hostel stays. But this year’s walk has been their most physically demanding undertaking.
Speaking before the final leg, they said: “We knew we couldn’t run a marathon or climb a mountain. But we still wanted to do something that would challenge us and help Harry’s Pals.”
Supporters can still donate to their fundraising page.
More information about Harry’s Pals is available at: www.harryspals.org
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