Lifeboat walker hits the high road on the West Side

Charity walker Alex Ellis-Roswell is continuing his round the coast of Britain and Ireland charity walk in Shetland. Yesterday he walked from the Weisdale shop to Aith lifeboat station.

Mr Ellis-Roswell visited Aith School with some of the lifeboat crew in the morning and met the school bairns. Reporter Peter Johnson and work experience pupil Naomi Hazendonk caught up with him as he yomped by the Ness of Bixter.

He said that he was having a fantastic time in Shetland and was bowled over by the generosity of islanders. As if to prove him right, two cars stopped with donations for his charity box in the brief time The Shetland Times spoke to him.

He was also presented with a decorated commemorative pebble by one of his donors and some fancies from Lynn’s cake cupboard before continuing his walk. The plan was for him to have his tea at Frankies in Brae before being returned to Aith lifeboat station by the lifeboat in the evening.

Aith lifeboat coxwain Hilton Henry said that Mr Ellis-Roswell was doing a great job of raising the profile of the RNLI as well as raising plenty of money for the organisation, which is funded by donations.

So far, Mr Ellis-Roswell has raised over £45,000 – which is 90 per cent of his £50,000 target. He still has the west coast of Britain and the coastline of Ireland to complete. He plans to finish his walk in 2018 after putting in four-years on the road.