A formerly homeless man is due to make an epic 2,000-mile fundraising walk from Rome to Edinburgh for charity. Peter Henshaw, from the capital, spent years on the streets after a shock eviction. He started sleeping rough in 2019, when a mixture of pride and his battle with alcohol led to him being unable to find a place to live after he was unexpectedly kicked out his flat by his landlord.
The 42-year-old, of Wester Hailes, was helped back onto his feet by charity the Bethany Christian Trust, and he managed to secure a flat through Edinburgh City Council in 2021. And now he is embarking on his charity challenge in a bid to give something back.
Edinburgh Live reports Peter will set off on his arduous journey on Tuesday, September 24. He will take a coach from Edinburgh to Rome before walking from the Italian capital to Paris, London, Cardiff, Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow and back to Edinburgh for January 8, 2025.
He said: “Homelessness can happen to anyone at any given time. There is the hidden side, not just those sleeping rough on the streets. I experienced it all. Homelessness and sleeping rough, it was not nice. You constantly had people looking down at you and you felt disconnected from society. I was urinated on, spat on and had things stolen among many other negative experiences.
“I was made homeless through a combination of factors. I was evicted from my private tenancy by my landlord as they wanted the flat back but I was also drinking heavily at the time. Money was a bit of an issue and I was struggling to get a tenancy. I went to a lot of viewings but the landlords could smell the drink off me and one thing led to another.
“I didn’t know where to turn and before I knew it, I was on the streets. A saving grace for me was the Bethany Christian Trust van which went out every night, it was a lifeline for those sleeping rough. I also stayed in their shelter pre-Covid and after securing my first tenancy they helped me to get set up. They are an amazing charity who help everyone, those right out of prison, people battling addiction and those who just need a bit of support.
“My advice to anyone out there experiencing homelessness is to swallow your pride and reach out for help. I found pride could get in the way of asking for help, whether it is to do with homelessness or the cost of living crisis, there is help out there. It’s also important to never give up and always continue to fight. There are so many great third sector agencies who will not judge you at all.”
Peter hopes he will be able to raise awareness for homelessness, as well as money in Edinburgh, through his charity walk. He was due to set off in March 2024 but Italian authorities delayed his departure ensuring all safety measures were in place.
He said: “I’ve been planning this for just over a year now. I’ll be camping, sleeping rough, and relying on the kindness of strangers and businesses for the odd meal, bed and shower. It was challenging to plan as the Italian authorities were worried I’d take longer than 60 days to get in and out of the EU.
“They also made sure I was aware that I will be a target for thieves. I’m aiming to complete the challenge in 100 days and know it will be challenging with the weather changing. It is 2,000 miles all in all through each capital of the Six Nations [rugby tournament teams], plus Glasgow.
“This is my way of saying thank you to the Bethany Christian Trust for helping me in my time of need. I’m currently out of work but both the Job Centre and the council have been so supportive. Decathlon have also sponsored my kit and J R Dixon Ltd my old employers are also helping out. I’m just hoping to raise anything and any amount would be fantastic.”
You can support Peter’s GoFundMe here and follow his journey here.
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