RUNNING: 135 Miles
WHERE: DEATH VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
One Goal: End Loneliness.

Ben is chasing a slot at the world’s toughest footrace, Badwater 135, to power new Walk + Talk projects for The Allegr Foundation.

What Is Badwater 135?

Lowest to Highest & Hottest
Starts 86m below sea level in Death Valley where road temps hit 70 °C. Crosses two mountain passes and finishes at the top of the trailhead of Mt Witney
135 Miles Non-stop
Runners climb 4400m over 135 miles all inside 48 hours.
Only 100 Spots
Entry is invitation-only; athletes must prove extreme-ultra pedigree and community spirit.

Note: Ben’s entry is pending—selection is announced early 2026.

Why I’m Running

Badwater isn’t just my personal Everest. It’s a searing spotlight I can drag across the desert floor to show what happens when people move, talk and lift each other, even in brutal heat.
- Ben Burch
Fund new Walk + Talk hubs
Every mile funds free weekly meet-ups that turn strangers into teammates and chip away at loneliness where it hurts most.
Prove that connection beats extremes
Badwater135 demands a four-person crew, remote trackers and countless cheerleaders. The race itself is a live demonstration that we are stronger - physically and mentally - when we show up for one another.
Invite everyone into the story
From heat-chamber livestreams to post-race write ups, supporters join the journey while seeing exactly how their donations ripple into real-world community change.

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CHALLENGE?

My BADWATER JOURNEY

Where Your Money Goes

What does the charity do?

Centred around our  ‘Health through Connection’ mantra - we build activity programmes, fostering human connection, to improve wellbeing.  

If I donate to your fundraiser, what will my donation support?

Our flagship programme is Walk+Talk.  We run this in the community, and for the military veterans.  It’s a simple and effective project, that gets people active, engaged and talking. The walks accommodate absolutely everyone - and with the help of social prescribing, also offer effective signposting support to those who are especially isolated and lonely - intercepting them before potential crisis.  

The formula may be simple - but its impact is proving itself very positive and significant.

We are now poised to do more - to scale the Walk+Talk programme and its impact across the UK.  And hence, we are now fundraising to specifically support this development.

The money raised goes specifically to fund the running costs for this national roll out - so this programme can be duplicated to reach more towns and cities, more communities and more people.

Thank-you for any donation you are kind enough to offer

What people say about Walk+Talk:

92%
I generally feel happier after a Walk + Talk session
88%
Overall, I feel there has been an improvement in my social connection and wellbeing as a result of participating in Walk+ Talk
92%
Walk + Talk has helped my motivation to exercise and meet up with people
* Percentage of participants who either Agree or Strongly Agree, based on a survey of 26 people.

Thank You for your support

We are really grateful for all the generous donations and messages of support. All your donations are used to fund our work in the community:

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