27 JULY 2026 ·  DEATH VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
RUNNING 135MILES  · 50°C+

I’m running the world’s toughest footrace to fund Walk+Talk communities across the UK.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

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We really appreciate your donation.

I’m Ben. A rower turned runner. I'm not a celebrity, not an influencer - just someone who believes ordinary people can do extraordinary things.

This July I’ll race 135 miles through Death Valley aiming to raise £30,000 for The Allegr Foundation.

We are really grateful for all the generous donations and messages of support:

D Snow
- £
5000

Good luck you mad bastard

Steve Castillo
- £
200

Ben - keep cool and relaxed, we all believe in you and next year we will get Rob to run with you

Robert Lynch
- £
80

Crazy man

Sue Graham
- £
100

You are our legend. You can do it Ben

C L Fricker
- £
200

You rock! Good luck xxx

Robin mitchell
- £
135

Idiot.

Tom Peasgood
- £
100

Neil Clark
- £
50

You crazy man! Good luck. Awesome challenge, awesome charity!

Paul Whittaker
- £
1.35

A penny for every mile. Have a good one mate

What Is Badwater 135?

Lowest to Highest & Hottest
Starts 86 m below sea level inDeath Valley, where road temperatures hit 70°C. Crosses two mountain passes and finishes on the slopes of Mt Whitney - the highest peak in the contiguous US.
135 Miles Non-stop
4,400 m of climbing. 45 hours to finish. On 27 July 2026, Ben lines up at the start.
Only 100 Athletes are invited
Entry is invitation-only. Athletes must prove extreme-ultra pedigree and genuine community spirit. Ben was selected in February 2026.

Why I’m Running

I don’t usually fundraise off the back of races. But when you’re running 135 miles in 50°C heat, it feels right to make it count for something bigger.

Badwater 135 demands a four-person crew, equipment and countless supporters. The race itself is proof that nobody achieves anything extreme alone.

That’s exactly what Walk+Talk is built on - the idea that connection is what keeps people going.

I co-founded The Allegr Foundation because I’ve seen what happens when people show up for each other, week after week, with no agenda other than a shared purpose.

It changes lives. It changed mine.

This race is my personal Everest. But the real win is using it as a spotlight for a cause that deserves one.
- Ben Burch, Co-Founder The Allegr Foundation

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.  Read more...

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.

£100 - Trains and equips a new volunteer walk leader.
£500 - Launches and maintains an entire new Walk+Talk hub for a full year - weekly sessions, a trained leader, and a community that didn’t exist before.

As with all fundraising, there's often a cost to make campaigns happen. Whilst the majority of costs are covered by corporate sponsors, personally and other support there is sometimes a shortfall. We do have a policy in place to financially support a campaign - read about our fundraising linked event support. If you are interested in being a fundraising for The Allegr Foundation please get in touch.

£30,000 - the big Target

Reaching our full target funds new Walk+Talk hubs across the UK and a part-time Volunteer & Walks Manager - a dedicated role to recruit, train and support the volunteers who make every session happen. Our walks rely on the generous time given by our volunteers; to scale responsibly, we need someone focused entirely on looking after them.

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

Walk+Talk: Simple Formula, Significant Impact

Walk+Talk is The Allegr Foundation’s flagship programme. Free, weekly community walks - open to everyone - that turn strangers into teammates and chip away at loneliness, one conversation at a time. We run sessions in the community and for military veterans.

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.