Grzegorz Pacho, a 50-year-old father from Boston, Lincolnshire, is preparing to run 1,250 miles across Europe entirely unsupported, aiming to raise funds for vulnerable children in his native Poland and his adopted home county. The challenge begins on Monday, August 17, at the Shelter-Lniana children's home in Łódź, Poland, near where he grew up. From there, he plans to cover an average of 70 miles per day on foot, crossing the continent to reach the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre in Skegness on the Lincolnshire coast.
A Test of Endurance and Determination
Pacho will carry no cash or bank cards, relying instead on the kindness of strangers for food and accommodation along the route. He will only take essential equipment and first aid supplies, aiming to complete the entire challenge in under 20 days. A volunteer team will track his progress remotely, and supporters can contribute towards necessities such as meals and overnight stays.
This is not Pacho's first endurance feat. He has previously run from the Vatican City in Rome to Warsaw, a distance of just over 1,000 miles, and has climbed Mont Blanc. He has been preparing for the current challenge for about eight months while working 12-hour shifts as a factory worker.
Supporting Children on Both Sides of the Channel
The run will benefit two children's causes: the Shelter-Lniana in Poland and the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre in Skegness. The Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre, operating since 1891, provides fully funded four-night stays for Derbyshire children who might not otherwise get a break. The centre covers accommodation, meals, activities, and transport. Children are nominated through their schools if they are felt to benefit from the experience, often due to financial hardship, bereavement, caring for relatives, or to build confidence and independence.
The Lniana children's home cares for youngsters unable to grow up in family homes, many placed into care by court order due to abuse, neglect, addiction, or unsafe family circumstances.
Kindness Without Borders
Pacho's route will take him through Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and the UK. He said: “I’m trying to do something that I don’t think anyone ever before decided to do. Poland is where I was born and Britain is where I have spent most of my adult life. Supporting children in both countries is my way of showing that kindness does not stop at national borders. This is my way of giving something back to the communities that have shaped my life and helping children who deserve the chance of a better future, wherever they happen to have been born. The limits of the human body are much further away than our minds often tell us. If this run can change the life of even one child or give hope to one young person, then every single mile will have been worth it.”
Janine Holmes, CEO of the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre, said: “Wow - we’ve had some incredible fundraisers over the years but this one from Grzegorz is absolutely remarkable. We are blown away that he is attempting this incredible feat for our benefit and for another very worthy cause in Poland. Hats off to him for taking it on and we’ll be cheering him on every step of the way. We’re beyond grateful he’s doing this for us and we hope that plenty of people will support him. It will all go towards putting smiles on the faces of the children we help, paying for more vital holidays that do so much for these children’s confidence and future prospects.”
Pacho has lived in Lincolnshire for more than 26 years, working in various roles including interpreting in hospitals, courts, and police stations, running his own restaurant and taxi company, and working in property and food industries. Donations can be made via his JustGiving page, and progress can be followed on Facebook.
