Inspirationally “mad” Karen Penny has dwarfed The Proclaimers claim of walking 500 miles by setting herself a 20,000-mile trek around the UK and Irish coastline.
When she arrived in Aberdeen this week, the 53-year-old revealed she has been walking for 13 months and doesn’t plan to stop any time soon.
So far she is smashing her target of £100,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK and has raised £58,000 with at least two more years to go.
She is believed to be the first woman who will have completed this journey.
While visiting Pittodrie, the home of Aberdeen FC, Mrs Penny vowed to carry her cosy supporters’ hat the rest of the way and sported it on her walk to the west end offices of Mattioli Woods yesterday.
The business hosted a lunch event for Mrs Penny’s arrival in the Granite City and donated £250, with the organisation aiming to raise £150,000 for the same charity. Employees have been following her journey since she packed her rucksack and left her home in Swansea.
“I talk to sheep a lot,” the retired legal worker told Mattioli staff as they couldn’t hold back their laughter.
She went on to confirm she is “MAD” but pointed out it stood for “making a difference”.
Embarking on the journey for a cause very close to her heart, Mrs Penny explained the “significant” impact that Alzheimer’s has had on her family.
She said: “Sadly, my husband Mark lost both of his parents to different forms of dementia and the impact it had on our family was significant. We didn’t expect it.
“His mum was gone within six months – just like that.
“After she passed, his father started to ring the house asking what day it was. He started deteriorating.”
Having previously raised £6,000 for Alzheimer’s by running a marathon and walking the length of Britain, Mrs Penny embarked on the four-year journey and left her beloved 21-year-old cat Bilbo behind in January 2019.
This week marks the sixth time she has seen her husband since she set off and he brings her a fresh set of walking boots every time.
Her Facebook page called The Penny Rolls on has over 4,000 members following her fundraising journey.
Mrs Penny believes she is “privileged” to be doing the walk and have the opportunity to meet amazing people along the way.
“Don’t get me wrong there are days when you’re in your tent and you don’t seen anybody for three or four days and then you do have a few down days,” she said.
“But all of a sudden you have a day like today and you think that’s fantastic – and your husband comes up as well.”
