22 Sep 2026 Community

11-year old takes on endurance walking challenge to raise funds for The Kirkwood

An 11-year-old from Kirkburton Middle School has successfully completed a walk of almost 80 miles over 7 days in aid of The Kirkwood.

Cat Smith and her son Harry walked the Great Glen Way from Fort William to Inverness, raising £1,030. Cat, who is manager at the newly opened Hanson Self Storage facility, part of the Hanson Logistics family business based on Ashgrove Road in Huddersfield, began training with Harry back in February and spent more than 6 months preparing for Harry’s first long distance challenge.

Cat said: “Given Harry’s young age and that this was his first big long-distance walk, I wanted to make sure he wasn’t going to get injured, or be uncomfortable even, because I wanted him to enjoy it. So, from February onwards, as soon as the weather started to pick up, we began walking wherever we could, aiming for around an hour and a half every day and at weekends, fitting in longer walks. We had a schedule of sorts, and from June onwards, we upped our distances and built up to it.

“We’ve always enjoyed walking together and it’s the time when he tells me what’s on his mind. There's something about walking side by side with someone that makes you able to open up in a different way; it really helps him and he loves doing it.”

Cat and Harry walked for 7 consecutive days, with the last day being the longest, walking from 830am until 5pm. With some mixed weather for August in Scotland, including rain and midges to contend with, the pair stayed in a mix of hostels and B&Bs to complete the challenge.

Cat added: “I promised Harry that when we got to Inverness, he could have anything he wanted for his tea and an ice cream as big as his head. So, we did that! He's researching now where he wants to go next. There'll be more walks on the cards to continue supporting The Kirkwood.”

Julia Owen, Community Fundraiser at The Kirkwood said: “Harry’s achievement is absolutely incredible. To take on a challenge of almost 80 miles over seven consecutive days would be a huge undertaking for anyone, but to do it at just 11 years old is something he should be extremely proud of.

“We’re incredibly grateful that Harry and Cat chose to support The Kirkwood and have raised a fantastic £1,030. It’s wonderful to see Harry already thinking about what challenge he might take on next too. Support from people like Harry and Cat makes such a difference, helping us to continue providing vital care for local people living with life limiting illnesses, as well as supporting their families and loved ones.”

Paul Pheasey, Managing Director of Hanson Self Storage and Hanson Logistics, said: “We opened the self-storage business, managed by Cat, in July and we’ve already pledged sponsorship and fundraising support to a range of local organisations. The Kirkwood does so much for the local area that our business has been active in for almost 200 years, which is why giving back to the community is a focus for us at Hanson.”