Teenager walks 45km in 16 hours and raises €2,000 for Richmond Foundation
Matthew Camilleri wanted to raise awareness about mental health challenges
One teenager raised close to €2,000 for Richmond Foundation, nearly double the amount he originally planned to, after completing a 45km walk from Birżebbuġa to Għarb on Saturday.
Matthew Camilleri, 18, a marketing student at MCAST, started his challenging trek at 5am. He made his way through Luqa, Ta’ Qali, Mġarr and Għadira before arriving at Ċirkewwa to catch the ferry.
After walking for 16 hours, Camilleri arrived in Għarb. He was supported by a friend throughout.
Camilleri told Times of Malta the challenge was more than just completing the long distance on foot.
“I feel that many people my age are going through silent battles and don’t speak up about them because they feel there is not enough awareness about mental health challenges,” he said.
He said mental health affects people from all walks of life, and through his walk, he wanted to raise awareness about mental health and the important work of the Richmond Foundation.
Camilleri had aimed to raise €1,000 - a target he reached before even setting off for his challenge. By Sunday, he raised €1,955 for the Richmond Foundation.
“Initially, when I saw that [the amount] had doubled, I felt overwhelmed as the support felt very real… and I was a bit anxious about not being able to complete the walk on the day,” he said.
“But it also motivated me knowing so many people believed in me and the cause.”
While Camilleri prepared for weeks before the challenge, he said the most challenging aspect was the heat affecting him more than he thought it would, and the steep uphill from Mġarr to Mellieħa.
Matthew and his friend Elenia began the walk bright and early at 5am in Birżebbuġa. Photo: Matthew Camileri“At that point, our legs were already tired because of the distance we had covered,” he said.
“I thought I would give up on our way to Mġarr, but being in good company motivated me. I knew the amount of support I had from other people, and this pushed us to continue our walk.”
Camilleri walked through busy roads in Luqa and Mellieħa, but also enjoyed more scenic roads such as the ones in Birżebbuġa and Mġarr.
"I could have easily chosen a slightly shorter walk to go through towns, but I chose to go through the countryside, even if it meant more time on my feet,” he added.
For Camilleri, the walk proved that "even the hardest of challenges are possible to overcome".