Inspirational volunteer walking from Enniskillen to Knock for 13th consecutive year to raise thousands for charity

A dedicated charity volunteer from Enniskillen is, this month, taking on an awe-inspiring walking challenge for the 13th year in a row.

Ann Curry, 62, will walk 160km from Enniskillen to Knock Shrine, Co Mayo, to raise money for international school feeding charity Mary’s Meals, starting on Wednesday, August 6 to Thursday, August 14.

Mary’s Meals serves school meals to more than 2.6 million hungry children in 16 countries, including Ethiopia, Haiti and Malawi. The promise of a daily meal encourages children from the world’s poorest communities into the classroom where they will gain an education that could be their ladder out of poverty. 

Ann, who has volunteered for the charity since 2004, walks the Step By Step To Feed The Next Child route every August and is excited to get going again this year.

She says: “It’s brilliant, it’s a massive, massive walk. For me personally to walk to Knock, it brings in £10,000 in sponsorship a year. And that’s just from a small group in Fermanagh. It’s just unbelievable.”

Along with her team of volunteers and supporters, some of whom walk the full length with her, and others who walk some of the daily loops, Ann’s goal is to help Mary's Meals feed as many hungry children as she can. And in the meantime, the support she’s received has been incredible.

She says: “I’ve never met such generosity, it’s unbelievable. People take us into their houses, set tables for us, give us tea. When my waste collectors know I’m on the walk, I’m sure as anything they will have put an envelope with some money through my letterbox.

“People are so familiar with me and Mary’s Meals now, they’ll call me on the street, ‘Ann, here’s some money for Mary’s Meals!’ The generosity of people is just wonderful, so kind.”

Caoimhe McCann, Supporter Engagement Officer at Mary’s Meals, says: “I’m so impressed that Ann has been doing the whole Step By Step walk for 13 years now, and so grateful! Her and her fabulous team have helped us feed so many hungry children over the years by taking on this gruelling challenge and it means the world.

“It costs Mary’s Meals just £19.15 to feed a hungry child for a whole school year, which is just 10p per meal. Any donation makes a real difference.”

Mary’s Meals is inviting people to follow in Ann’s footsteps by putting on their walking shoes and joining the annual Step By Step To Feed The Next Child walk this summer.

Ann says: “If people want to get involved, we’d be delighted to have them along the way! My friend Mary McIlroy does the whole thing with me too, this will be her fourth year. Anybody who wants to join in with Mary and I is welcome, even to do a loop walk, though I hope they walk it with me the entire time!”

To register to take part in a Step By Step walk in your area, please visit marysmeals.org.uk/step. If you would like to organise a walk or volunteer to help at one of the events, please email [email protected].