More than £100,000 has been raised to help protect the South West Coast Path.

Following recent reports about increased 'wear and tear' due to severe storm damage, increased footfall and coastal erosion, the charity that looks after the coast path has announced it has hit its £100,000 target to help safeguard the future of the National Trail.

The South West Coast Path Association (SWCPA) which has been fundraising a part of the Every Mile Matters campaign for just under a year, hit the milestone total earlier this week.

Since its launch, donations have been coming in from individuals, fundraisers, local businesses and grant givers.

The campaign aims to change perspectives about the true value of the coast path to people's health and wellbeing, the environment and the regional economy.

Charity director Julian Gray said: "The last year has been a challenging time for everyone and our focus has been making sure the coast path is open for people to reconnect with nature and meet with friends and family safely.

"It's amazing and very humbling to see what a difference people are making with their generous support, giving us the resources to get work done on the ground for this world class trail on our doorstep."

The SWCPA has been championing the coats path since 1973, promoting it as not only a long-distance National Trail, but as a cause worth defending. Now, the charity has the support of more than 10,000 members who give back regularly to the trail, and the support of more than 75 volunteers working across the region.

Announcing the major milestone was the job of charity ambassador and award-winning author of The Salt Path, Raynor Winn.

Raynor, who credits the path with changing her life, said: "I am absolutely over the moon that the Every Mile Matters campaign has reached this first important milestone in its fight to secure the suture of the SWCP National Trail, reaching an amazing £100,000 raised.

"A huge, heartfelt thank you from me and all lovers of this special place to the generous donors, fundraisers, grant-givers and especially the campaign sponsors, who have come together to make this happen, you are making such a difference to the communities and biodiversity of this unique natural corridor."

Having launched Every Mile Matters around the time of the first lockdown, the charity has seen the campaign gain continued resonance throughout the year as people spent more time appreciating the role green and blue spaces play in supporting our wellbeing.

Genevieve Hinchliff, fundraising manager for the SWCPA said, "The pandemic has transformed the nation's attitude towards getting active outdoors and this seems to be gradually translating into a deeper understanding of the need to care for, and crucially, fund, the wild places we have all come to depend upon over the last year.

"It is encouraging that a considerable number of those who have donated to Every Mile Matters are first-time supporters of the association, including an anonymous 'Mile Maker' donor from South Devon who took the fundraiser to its £100,000 target with his generous gift of £1,400 - the amount it costs to care for a mile of the trail for one year."

Money raised by the campaign throughout the last year has helped to fund ongoing work caring for the trail as well as health and wellbeing projects prioritised by the charity during the pandemic.

Fundraising by the charity and supporters of the Coast Path helps support the ever-increasing costs for managing one of the world's great trails.

The charity is now preparing for year two of the campaign which will see a shift in focus from health and wellbeing to environment. You can continue to support and donate to Every Mile Matters by visiting the charity's website here.

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