On a bright, slightly overcast Saturday morning at 5:30am, just after dawn, activists gathered at Brighton Pier, ready to begin their challenging 100km journey to raise awareness and solidarity for Zimbabwe. Setting off just after 6:00am along Brighton's promenade towards Grand Avenue. Once there we began the long gentle slope up and out of Brighton.
We stopped in a small park for a few photos at around 8:00am, before moving past the Football-Golf facility, that our 'Walk for Freedom' route skirts, towards the footbridge crossing of the A27 Dual carriageway. With walkers coming from all over the UK, the atmosphere was filled with determination and hope, as the warming summer sun begun to shine down on our faces as we crossed the A27 and up a steep incline to the start of the long, long footpath up to Devil's Dyke. [Benfield Hill Local Nature Reserve in fact! see photo at this link taken at 8:30am]
We got to the Devil's Dyke area around 9:45am and as you can realise well over three hours to get up here - remember we started at sea level and now we are at 217 metres (712 ft) high - the view over the open Weald is breath-taking - so much space - all those trees and fields - such an uplifting experience. .....And we danced, and we sang and we played the drum too - the other tourist up there were asking questions, what was it about? Many were taking photos and videos - already our activism is making an impact. [See one of our video of our shenanigans at this link CLICK]
It was all exhausting - but the dance gave us renewed strength! Now came the surprisingly difficult descent from atop of Devil's Dyke down to the village of Fulking. So steep in places that John had advised us to walk sideways to avoid falling. Once down on the level again - we set off towards Henfield to the Locomotive Public House - where we would start on this part of the Downs Link - which would take us to Christ's Hospital Railway Station and Beyond that on the next leg of this Walk for Freedom to Guildford (in the early hours of Sunday 10th August as it transpired) - aided in our night manoeuvres with head torches and a full moon.
Taking the Downs Link route towards London, the walk was far from easy; it demanded speed and stamina, especially as we aimed to reach 'Christ's Hospital' Railway Station before nightfall.
While some walkers chose to stop there, 5 others pressed on through the night, pushing their limits to get to Guildford Railway Station. So, in the early hours a small but tired group met there. The experienced Walker group had decided to press onto Walton-on-Thames (our next planned rendezvous) as fast as possible as they had arrived and Guildford an hour or so before the transport cars. Plus two of the walkers were still on their way, but not far from Guildford Station. It was decided that they could rest there for a short while, then try to catch up with the experienced walker group - which they did - due to the need to slow down upon this night part of the Walk.
We then congregated in eager anticipation at Walton-on-Thames where myself, Josephine and Dickson decided to leave for the final destination and allow the experienced walker group to catch us up - we 3 were very tired at this point.
The incredible effort culminated at Hampton Court Railway Station at 3:00 pm the next day (That's right 3:45pm Sunday - after around 34 hours (including the food and rest breaks - and the singing and dancing!), with the four brave experienced walker/activists, plus myself, Josephine and Dickson all successfully completing the arduous journey, symbolizing resilience and commitment in the fight for Zimbabwe's future.
All in all, I have "Walked for Freedom" over the weekend of the 9-10th August 2025
After completing the walk, it is heart breaking to reflect on Zimbabwe's journey since independence in 1980.
What was celebrated with joy and hope has been overshadowed by economic hardship, corruption, and inequality. The promise that resources would benefit all Zimbabweans has largely been broken, benefiting only a few elites close to Zanu PF.
Poverty, lawlessness, and mismanagement have eroded trust and hindered development, leaving many citizens suffering in silence.
This walk stands as a testament to the resilience of Zimbabweans and their ongoing fight for a better future, despite the deep challenges their beloved country faces.