Lisburn man walks the length of Northern Ireland in latest fundraiser for charity close to his heart

Walking up Donegall Place in Belfast city centre on a sunny afternoon, stopping to chat and get selfies with everyone who approached him, Stewart Barbour finished off a remarkable trip walking around Northern Ireland for a charity close to his heart.

The 71-year-old from Lisburn is well-known for his friendly demeanour and tireless advocacy and fundraising for Cancer Focus NI. His list of accomplishments is long, including running 19 marathons, walking the entire length of Ireland, and writing a book about his experiences. He is unmissable with his backpack, blue hair, and Cancer Focus merchandise as he pounds the streets of Belfast and beyond.

Now, he can add another impressive accomplishment to that list - walking the entire perimeter of Northern Ireland. Taking on the impressive 520 mile route from Belfast, and returning back to the city 23 days later, Stewart was delighted to raise close to £40,000 for charity along the way.

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The team from Cancer Focus NI were there to greet Stewart at Belfast city hall on Wednesday afternoon to mark the end of his remarkable challenge.

Speaking to Belfast Live, Stewart said: "People all around Northern Ireland were absolutely amazing throughout the walk. People were coming out to support me along the way, and even offering me somewhere to sleep for the night and some food. They were so generous, both with their actions and their donations.

"I hoped to have done it in 19 days based on my previous walks, I was looking to do a marathon a day, but the weather at the start was awful. I had 13 days of rain and the wind was strong. I've never been as old as I am now, and people tell me I'll never be as young again.

"But coming here today and seeing the support made it all worth it for me. There were times along the way it was tough going, being soaked and in the wind. But I was determined - I can be very stubborn! It's just a case of keeping going and digging deep to get it done.

"What really keeps me going is raising money for this important cause, for this charity doing life-changing global research here. It's the fact the money goes to a local charity and stays here, Cancer Focus do brilliant work and offer all sorts of support services for the patients and their carers."

You can donate to Stewart Barbour's fundraiser for Cancer Focus NI by clicking here.

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