On the 1st February 2008, shortly after his 18th birthday, Sebastian Green plans to set out on his round Britain walk – a distance of approximately 5000 miles. He will be accompanied by Flash, his dog and expects the walk to take something over 10 months. He hopes to be home for Christmas.

Seb plans to do this for a number of reasons:

• To raise money for two charities

• the Starlight Children’s Foundation and
• the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance

• To raise awareness about Sea Safety following the tragic deaths in Dorset, his home county, of three teenagers in recent times
• To complete the Service section of his Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

The idea was born after a boating escapade on the Dorset coast in 2005 went badly wrong and resulted in him being airlifted out of waist-deep mud and taken to hospital. His rescue involved inshore lifeboats, the auxiliary coastguard and the coastguard helicopter, and concluded with an overnight stay in hospital. You may have seen the report on Seaside Rescue!

As a direct result of this incident Seb came into contact with the local Youth Offending Team and was offered the opportunity of participating in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. He completed his Silver Award in 2006, and this summer completed the expedition section of his Gold with a four day venture in North Wales which included an ascent of Snowdon.

For his Service Section Seb would like to make reparation for his rescue in 2005 by raising a sum of money equivalent to the cost of his rescue. He has worked it out to be almost £20000. This money will be divided between the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and the Starlight Children’s Foundation to represent the helicopter and hospital costs. His reparation to the RNLI will be in the form of spreading a sea safety message to teenagers who might be tempted to ‘borrow’ a boat as he did. Dorset has lost three teenage boys at sea in the last two years, one in almost identical circumstances to Seb’s, two others playing on rocks in a storm.

Seb is a very fit and very determined young man who can, and will, achieve this ambition if he possibly can. If you would be interested in receiving further information about this mammoth fundraising challenge, or offering support in kind, please contact Seb c/o Mary Harper, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Officer, Crossways Youth Centre, Old Farm Way, Crossways, Dorchester DT2 8TU    Tel: 01305 851065    Email: m.harper@dorsetcc.gov.uk

You can sponsor Seb direct by going to www.starlight.org.uk or by telephoning 020 7262 2881.  Your donation will be shared between Starlight Children’s Foundation and the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance which are Seb's two chosen charities. If you donate on-line click on ‘How to donate’ followed by ‘sponsor a friend now’. You will find Seb listed on a drop down menu.