'Walk the Talk' on foot from Auckland to Cape Reinga

Charitable group 'Walk the Talk' on foot from Auckland to Cape Reinga

Walk the Talk is hitting the road again this September, walking from Auckland to Cape Reinga in an effort to raise awareness about child abuse. Ambassadors Vasa Tasele and Joe O’Neill will be embarking on this journey from September 1.

Walk the Talk is fundraising for the Puawaitahi Multi Service Agency at the Starship Hospital, which is funded by the Starship Foundation for the treatment of children suspected or affected by all forms of abuse.

Walk the Talk’s Vasa Tasele believes that stress is a major factor in child abuse.

“We are promoting exercise to de-stress, and we want to bring awareness of stress-related issues that are destructive to good communication between loved ones.

“The old saying ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ is helpful for everyone, no matter who they are.”

Tasele and O’Neill are confident of building on their experience and fitness from last year’s Walk the Talk journey from Auckland to Wellington. People can keep up to date with their journey to Cape Reinga by visiting their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/Walk-The-Talk/460438557306240

“We are scheduled to walk 50km per day starting on the first of September, and we should arrive at Cape Reinga on the eighth.

“We are looking forward to walking along 90 mile beach; It is going to be a challenge walking on sand, but we’re up for it.”

Often Walk the Talk’s journeys brings them in to direct contact with people who want to talk about their own experiences of child abuse. Tasele recounted a situation Walk the Talk encountered last year:

“We were walking along a road in Mt Albert, when a woman jumped out of a slow-moving vehicle right next to us. She grabbed her kids from the back seat of the car, and ran across the road to escape her enraged partner. The car did a U-turn towards the woman and her children, and we remember many bystanders didn’t know what to do. Joe and I stepped in to help calm the situation down, and the woman was so grateful.

“People would be more aware of what goes on in communities, if they actually took the time to walk around different communities – that’s why we call ourselves ‘Walk the Talk’. Anyone can talk about child abuse, it’s another thing to be face to face with people and communities in real need.”

Walk the Talk believes that exercise - and walking in particular, can be a simple practical de-stressor that anyone can do.

“If one person listens to our message and begins to acknowledge that they have an anger or violence problem that stems from stress, and they realise they need to do something about it, then that alone will be worth our effort.”

People can donate to Walk the Talk by visiting their Fundraising web page at www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/WalkTheTalk

ENDS

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