Rossendale veteran completes 60-mile hike for charity

Phil Speddy set out on a seven day, 60 mile walk for Remembrance on November 5, paying his respects at 61 war memorials across Rossendale.

His challenge also saw him sleeping outdoors for five nights before finishing the walk by marking Armistice Day on Monday, November 11, with schoolchildren in Weir.

Each day, Mr Speddy, a former member of the Royal Pioneer Corps, was joined by ex-Royal Signals man Bob Brindley who kept him going when the walk got tough in typical military spirit.

They are both members of Haslingden-based Veterans In Communities, which works with former members of the armed forces throughout East Lancashire and Greater Manchester.

The memorial tour started at 7am in Weir on November 5 when the remote hilltop memorial was shrouded in mist, barely visible from the roadside.

The walk began at Weir's war memorial (Image: Catherine Smyth) Mr Brindley said: “The weather that day added to the atmosphere of what we were doing and it made us focus on what we were embarking on.”

That first day was the hardest as, along with another ex-Royal Signals man Bill Ogden, they completed 14 miles walking from Weir to Whitworth, with Mr Speddy carrying a full pack complete with rations, tent and sleeping bag.

A week later on Armistice Day, Phil and Bob joined nearly 100 pupils from Northern Primary School who had completed their annual walk from school to the memorial for the service.

Paying respects in Bacup (Image: Catherine Smyth) There they observed the Last Post, this time played by Olivia Knapper from the 2nd Rossendale Scout Group Band.

Reflecting on the week, Mr Speddy said: “After a couple of days and nights out, I was really feeling it and walking down towards Rawtenstall the weather was not brilliant.

“Those were the times that Bob stepped in and would be encouraging, saying the next memorial was only just up the hill.”

Three VIC members also joined them for breakfast that day in Crawshawbooth, which Mr Speddy said helped lift his spirits.

They were constantly being stopped by people donating money.

In Stubbins, they were stunned when a business owner handed over £170 in cash – and when they called in at the company, Melba Swintex, they received a further £40 from reception.

Mr Brindley said: “I will never forget the generosity, the warmth and the sense of community.”

They were joined by another VIC member Michael Leather, who had just completed a marathon for the charity and ran from home to join them.

The walk finished back in Weir on Armistice Day (Image: Catherine Smyth) At the memorial in Stubbins, a man who was doing cable work came across to make a contribution and revealed his cousin had been killed in Afghanistan. Mr Leather had been in the same regiment and knew him.

On Friday, Willie Wilcox joined the walk and also slept over which Mr Speddy said lightened the evening having some company.

On Remembrance Sunday, they walked to Accrington for the town’s service, and back to Haslingden to lay the wreath at the war memorial on behalf of VIC.

They then went on to Rawtenstall where they also met with Squirrels and Beavers from 38th Rossendale Open Scout Group who had made the crosses that had been placed by Mr Speddy.

He said: “Thanks to the Rossendale Family History Society for mapping out the memorials, which provided the starting point for the walk. Along the way we also found other memorials.”

Inside the chapel at Haslingden Cemetery, there were photographs of soldiers who had been killed in action and newspaper reports. They said that made the walk very poignant.

Further donations can be made by visiting Mr Speddy's GoFundMe page.