Worthing charity welcomes home ‘mad’ friends after 14-day cycle from John O’Groats

The trio, Katie McFarlane, Samantha Caiels and Mike Bailey, have raised £5,500 for Worthing-based Billy and Beyond CIC – and they were welcomed back by the charity's founder, Nicci Parish.

Nicci said: "When I first heard that they were going to do this, I thought they were bonkers! After speaking with the team daily and hearing about their emotional highs and lows, I am in awe and humbled by their efforts.

"Fundraisers like this allow us to expand our reach to more young people and parents, raising vital awareness about the risks associated with recreational drugs."

Nicci's son Billy died in November 2020 after taking MDMA to celebrate his 24th birthday in lockdown. Billy and Beyond provides drug education and awareness, sharing Billy's story to prevent another family going through such tragedy.

Nicci added: "The pain of losing a child will never leave me, but keeping his spirit alive and helping to prevent this from happening to other parents is incredibly important.”

The welcome home party at The Rose and Crown in Worthing included a live band and raffle.

Samantha said it was one of the toughest challenges she had ever faced.

"It was definitely more mentally and emotionally challenging than physically, aside from the occasional falls," she added.

"The highlight for me was witnessing some of the most stunning landscapes the UK has to offer alongside my friends and uncle. The toughest days were when we faced tail end hurricane winds and torrential rain—soggy bib shorts were no fun! But as a team, we really crushed it and supported each other through everything.”

Katie added: "The feeling of achievement was definitely a high for me! I’m so proud of us all and can’t help but laugh at the challenges we faced. The weather and hills were tougher than I anticipated—who knew the UK was so hilly? The memories we created, the bonds we built, and the funds we raised will stay with me forever.”