Chris Walks the UK Fridge Magnet

Veteran Chris Lewis, from Swansea in South Wales, left to walk the entire UK coastline to raise money for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity in August 2017. Chris, a former British paratrooper, struggled to cope with life on 'civvy street' after leaving the parachute regiment and finding himself homeless.

Chris stepped off from Llangennith Beach in the Gower Peninsula in August 2017 to circumnavigate the UK coastline and to raise funds for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity. The total raised so far for SSAFA from this odyssey stands at around £500,000, which will allow the UK's oldest tri-service charity to carry on its life-changing - and sometimes life-saving - work.

July 2023 saw his symbolic striding back into Wales after so long away - six years that saw a pandemic and the country shut down for the best part of a year, but more happily also saw Chris befriend a dog, Jet, find a partner, Kate, and have a child, Magnus - marks the final leg of this epic journey of thousands of miles.

An emotional Chris said: "Now that I'm so close to home, there's a lot coming back from when I first started and how I felt.

"And while it's not something I thought I'd say about myself, but I'm proud, proud that I've done something and seen it through, well a, I'm nearly there and I'll make it."

He described the people who have helped him, as well as Jet, Kate, and Magnus - and who have donated to SSAFA - as "the kindest, the most generous people", adding: "I've met so many people, talked with so many people and listened to their stories, and just as my story has touched them, their stories have touched me."

But it's not over yet for Chris and family. This adventure ends on Rhossili Beach on July 29, and as he has suggested, a new one begins.

"This walk has been the catalyst for what we're going to do next, and it's going to be something outrageous, because that's what we love doing."

• Dimensions: (H) 6.5 x (W) 9.0cm

This Chris Walks the UK Fridge Magnet is a great way of showing your support with all profits helping support serving personnel, veterans and their families in their time of need, so they never have to battle alone.