A 21 year old from Guiseley, North Leeds has raised over £1,000 in support of Gaza.
Finn Richardson hiked and wild camped his way around the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) trail last month in support of Palestinian aid charity, the Sameer Project.
Source: Finn RichardsonCircling the Mont Blanc massif, the highest peak in the Alps, the trail goes through France, Italy and Switzerland, eventually returning to it’s the base in Chamonix, France. The route is 170km (105 miles) long with a total elevation gain and loss of roughly 10,000 meters (over 30,000 feet), taking hikers between 7-11 days to complete.
Source: Finn RichardsonRichardson was brought up with an awareness of the Israel-Palestine conflict through Palestinian family friends and has always had an interest in politics. In an interview, he spoke about how he has taken the initiative to educate himself on the history of Palestine: “I’ve read a lot of Palestinian literature that details the suffering that the Arab-Palestinians have faced from the West,” he said, “I think social media is really great for research and I get a lot of Palestine updates from social media, but it’s important to read actual literature from a Palestinian point of view and to not just get information from Western media.”
While completing the TMB, Richardson wore the Palestine flag proudly and received support from other hikers along the way, “I have a Palestinian football top and so many people on the trail were saying “nice top” and “free Palestine”. It was really good to hear.”
“There were a few days where I really wanted to give up because it was so hard and there weren’t a lot of spots on the trail to get water, but with the goal I had in mind, I just kept thinking: this walk’s not about me, it’s about what I’m doing it for.”
Source: Finn RichardsonRichardson hiked the TMB trail to raise money for the Sameer Project, a charity ran by a Palestinian family which provides essential aid for those suffering in Gaza, “I wanted to give the money I raised to a grass roots charity and that’s what the Sameer Project is. I thought it was important that the charity I chose was making a direct impact.” The Sameer Project is split up into three initiatives: the North Gaza and the South Gaza initiatives which provide food and other aid to the north and south regions of the Gaza strip, as well the Refaat Alareer Camp initiative which provides crucial medical supplies and aid to camps and hospitals treating injured civillians.
In a statement, the Sameer Project outlined the importance of donations and the impact they have on the work they do: “Donations to Gaza are extremely crucial at this time with the forced displacement of over a million people. Every penny makes a difference in saving the lives of people through providing transport, shelter, food and water.”
Each Saturday, Richardson attends the pro-Palestine march which takes place through the city centre of Leeds,”It’s really great to see the Leeds community showing support, it’s so inspiring to meet like-minded people,” he said, “I’m just going to keep on marching, keep on boycotting and keep fighting for the liberation of Palestine.”
Source: Finn RichardsonRichardson also discussed how just speaking about Palestine has power, “It’s important to be aware of the impact your voice can make. Sharing information online, spreading awareness and simply talking to people who are perhaps less educated than yourself are all really good ways to help the cause.”
Richardson hopes to attend more Palestine marches in the future, including an upcoming march in Marseille, and eventually would like to do another fundraiser for the cause
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