Girl walks South Downs Way to help support healthier rivers
March 13, 2024
Seven-year-old Lauris Prince has walked 100 miles in 10 days to raise money to help protect the National Park’s precious rivers.
Lauris walked the South Downs Way from Eastbourne to Winchester, braving blizzards and sub-zero temperatures to raise money for the Ouse & Adur Rivers Trust, which is working to create cleaner, healthier waterways.
Lauris, from Barcombe, near Lewes, said: “My favourite animals are beavers and otters, and I want the rivers to be clean enough so that they can live there.”
Lauris has managed to raise around £1,000 so far through her Just Giving site, mainly by handing out homemade cards to people she met along the route.
Her mum, Hanna Prince, who walked the route with her, said the response from both friends and strangers has been amazing.
“One of the best things about the whole experience was chatting with people we met on the Downs, many of whom had their own amazing stories,” said Hanna.
“Lauris has been walking on the Downs since she was tiny, and she’s always loved it up there – the landscape is a big part of our family psyche. She’s wanted to walk the full 100 miles for a while, mainly for the challenge but also because she was keen to see more of the SDW than just our little eastern stretch. The parts she liked most were the ones where she saw wildlife, like the deer around Graffham Down and a fox trotting across the path at Alfriston.
“She was also fascinated by the places with stories attached – the tale of the Devil appearing at Chanctonbury Ring and offering you a bowl of soup in exchange for your soul was a favourite!”
Lauris is still fundraising and you can donate here.