Upwell youngster completes marathon 60-mile walk for RNLI

One of Fenland’s young heroes has done it again - raising more than £4,000 this time for a charity he admires and aspires to one day join.

Eight-year-old RNLI supporter Johnathon Jarvis completed his latest walk for the charity, an ambitious 60 miles, setting off from from Happisburgh lifeboat station in north Norfolk on Thursday and striding into Hunstanton on Sunday.

Accompanied by his parents Lee and Kayleigh, along with family and supporters, the Outwell youngster reached Hunstanton RNLI to cheers and applause from the crowd which had gathered to greet him in the sunshine.

“The last mile was the best mile,” said Johnathon, as he settled into the station’s new giant deckchair to enjoy a well-earned ice cream.

“I’m not sure what I’m going to do next year yet. I might see if I can walk a marathon in a day,” he added.

Johnathon, who lives at Upwell and attends Beaupre Community Primary School at Outwell, has smashed the £3,150 he raised last year for the charity that saves lives at sea, when he trekked 42 miles from his home to Hunstanton.

And proceeds from this year’s walk - dubbed Johnathon’s Journey on social media - are still being counted.

Proud dad Lee said: “He just got on with it, like he does and enjoyed every mile of it. He was more worried about whether we were OK than himself.”

Mum Kayleigh added: “I’ve got blisters, it’s the first time I’ve ever had them. Yesterday (Saturday) was hard, it was 18 miles but Johnathon just smashed it.”

After leaving Happisburgh on Thursday, Johnathon called in at the independent Mundesley Volunteer Inshore Lifeboat station, along with Cromer RNLI and Wells RNLI.

“Every station we stopped at had some treats for him. The volunteers all came out in force to support him, which has been fantastic,” said Lee.

Hunstanton RNLI visits and water safety lead Kate Craven told the crowd which gathered to greet Johnathon that the station’s lifesaving work and those of more than 200 like it, would not be possible without the kindness of those who donate to the RNLI.

She presented him with a framed picture taken on his walk, along with a card signed by members of the Hunstanton crew.

The youngster’s amazing fundraising earned him the Young Person of the Year Award at our sister publication Your Local Paper’s Local Hero Award ceremony held in April when he took to the stage at King’s Lynn’s Corn Exchange to receive the trophy.