Isle of Wight resident Peter May has raised over £6,000 for women’s charity Wight Dash by walking from St Helens to East Cowes in high heels.
Peter walked a total of 13.2 miles yesterday (Sunday) – from Fort View Tyres in Fakenham Farm in St Helens to the Shoreside café on East Cowes Esplanade. He completed the walk in 5 hours and 50 minutes.
But why would a man walk for miles in women’s shoes? Because it is a dramatic opportunity to raise awareness about the serious causes and effects of men’s sexualised violence.
There is an old saying: “You can’t understand another person’s experience until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.”
To get people listening, learning, and talking, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes events involve men literally walking in women’s high-heeled shoes. It’s an experience around which a lot of education, self-reflection, and change happens. The walk forces men to confront gender stereotypes in a spirit of openness and consider the causes of men’s sexualised violence with less defensiveness and denial.
The Wight Dash charity, for which Peter was fund raising, exists to give information and support to women and their children who are living with or have lived with disadvantage, including domestic abuse. It is an organisation that addresses the difficulties that domestic abuse, adverse childhood experiences, risk of homelessness, poor mental health, substance misuse, loneliness, and isolation cause to women on the Isle of Wight.
Peter was accompanied in his journey by Kelly Waddams, who wore 2-stone prosthetic wings throughout the journey.
Kelly said:
“Wow what an incredible adventure/challenge that I had today with Peter May. We accepted it, we faced it, and we completed it.”
“13.2 miles, 31,738 steps and 5 hrs 50 mins. Absolutely overwhelmed by the support of my amazing friends and family, particularly my dad and ‘my partner-in-all-things-crazy’ Martin Scotcher, who were by my side the whole way.
“The support from passers-by was fantastic with so much awareness and funds for Wight Dash raised: currently at approximately £6,500. Peter stayed in his heels, and I kept my wings on throughout the whole journey, and I feel very proud of our achievement. Thank you to everyone involved.”
Peter’s wife Dawn said:
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to my hubby Peter May on behalf of myself, who went through domestic abuse in a previous relationship, and others who have been through it for all the work you’ve done and for shouting out loud that this behaviour is not acceptable!”
If Island Echo readers would like to contribute to Peter’s cause, his JustGiving page can be found at https://justgiving.com/fundraising/peter-may15.
Brilliant Thank you both and I hope the toes and back are not too sore today!
Fantastic well done .
I wish I could walk from my living room to my kitchen in heels ….lol….
Note the usual mouthies have nothing to say, they only comment on negatives. Congratulations and be proud, what a beautiful sight! Well done and thank you!