WHEN Tony Pitt decided to do a sponsored walk in aid of the Peace and Hope Trust and the British Heart Foundation, his family and friends were astonished to learn that this would be a gruelling 12 days walking across Nicaragua. Tony has returned tired but enormously satisfied that he has completed such a huge personal challenge. He walked alongside MP Peter Kilfoyle and the two men have a lot to be grateful to the British Heart Foundation for. Tony had a massive heart attack and part of his rehabilitation was the preparation for a fundraising effort to help this charity and the Peace and Hope Trust, a local charity of which he is a Trustee. He told The Ross Gazette: "It was an amazing experience, we had an armed guard which was a courtesy from the Nicaraguan government to the British government as some of the walkers were MPs but even these fit soldiers struggled with the walk. Oscar, my personal guards found it a real struggle. But there was a really good spirit among the walkers and the guards and everybody helped and encouraged each other." There was not even much comfort to be had when the walking stopped each day as the accommodation left a lot to be desired. One of the walkers had visited Guantanemo Bay and he said that one of the hotels was definitely worse that that. Tony said that they saw amazing scenery during the walk, from tropical rain forests to cattle country as well as many dead snakes. As well as coping with the extremes of temperature the rain was a problem. When it rained everything was soaked in an instant even papers inside backpacks had to be protected by plastic. Tony suffered huge blisters and even lost a toe-nail but the worst part was the final day, Tony pulled a muscle in his leg which made walking agony. He is thrilled that at least £30,000 has been raised by the group for the two charities, he said: "This will be a huge boost for the Peace and Hope Trust." He was also pleased that such political hard hitters as Peter Kilfoyle had seen the poverty in Nicaragu for themselves, he said: "They are in a position to really make a difference."
