Former market manager completes first leg of UK charity tour

A Tiverton man has completed the first leg of his charity tour of the UK coast.

Jim Bray is taking on the mammoth road trip – entitled Exploring Britain’s Coast and Seaside Pubs – to raise money for Hospiscare.

The cash-strapped local charity cared for his sister, Emma Ansley, before she died of cancer aged 48.

Jim started from Tenby in South West Wales at the end of July and, travelling anti-clockwise, has reached the Exe estuary.

It’s the closest he will be to home and Hospiscare’s base in Exeter.

Following a brief spell at home to do some pre-planned dog-sitting, tomorrow (Wednesday) he will continue the tour from Exmouth and head east towards Dorset.

He has been on the road for 21 days so far, taking thousands of photos of iconic coastal views, landmarks and seaside pubs.

His highlights include Pembrokeshire, the impressive cliffs of North Devon and North Cornwall, Bedruthan Steps near Newquay, the large golden sandy beaches around St Ives Bay, the mines around Botallack, the Roseland Peninsula and the coastline around Salcombe.

The Cornish ‘mizzle’ affected visibility and progress on several days.

Jim said: “I’ve been progressing slower than I intended so far, mainly because I’ve been keen to see as many of the lovely coves, bays, beaches and coastal features as possible and have been taking so many photos and videos for Facebook.

“I’m familiar with the Devon and Cornwall coastline already, having walked the entire South West Coast Path in 2016, so I know the many viewpoints and features to look out for.

“While this has benefits, it has slowed me down somewhat! At the current speed, the tour would probably take many months to finish.

“I plan to try a different approach from here on – concentrating more on miles travelled than photos taken.

“I still plan to drive on the same coastal roads, see all the main resorts and features and visit the most interesting pubs with the best sea views.

“I’m looking forward to reaching Hampshire and from then on visiting places I’ve never seen before, apart from a few.”

The trip, covering the British Isles mainland and bigger islands, is expected to total several thousand miles.

A funding shortfall and higher costs mean Hospiscare is facing a £2.5million deficit this year.

Earlier this summer, the much-loved charity issued an urgent appeal for fair funding to safeguard its long-term future, as it weighs up difficult decisions around staffing and services.

The charity has highlighted Jim in its latest “Hospiscare Heroes” feature.

After three exciting years as manager of Tiverton Pannier Market, Jim decided to leave last month in order to take a rest, recharge the batteries and seek a new challenge.

People can follow his daily updates and journey on Facebook and make a donation to Hospiscare via JustGiving.