A HEAD teacher in York has taken part in another epic trek to raise money for his school and a charity close to his heart.
As The Press reported at the time, Elvington CE School head Andrew Buttery took part in the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge back in 2023 and now he's undertaken a new walking challenge to raise funds for OSCAR’s and Elvington’s PTA, walking 115km as part of the Camino del Norte, from Bilbao to Santander in Spain.
Andrew said: "We have reached, and exceeded, our £1,000 target and are currently standing at £1,360. This means that half of the total raised, along with £275 in Gift Aid, will be going to OSCAR’s PBTC, with the remaining amount going directly to Elvington’s PTA.
"We completed the challenge on Bank Holiday Monday (April 6) and after a long day we made it from Bilbao to Castro-Urdiales. We arrived just before dark, after covering 32km - the weight of the backpack certainly adds to the challenge.
"It was a really good day - mid to high 20 temperatures make for great photos, but harsh walking conditions. There were some really challenging sections, with lots of ascents.
"There’s still time to donate to two wonderful causes — every contribution really does make a difference."
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The walk took place over four days, from Friday to Monday April 3-6.
OSCAR's charity supports children in York and beyond who are affected by brain tumours. They provide tailored support such as physio, counselling and adapted equipment. The charity was set up in memory of Dunnington boy Oscar Hughes who died at just nine-years-old.
Phil Martinez of OSCAR's, who used to teach Oscar at Dunnington Primary, visits schools to talk about the charity and encourage local children and families to get involved in helping others.
He said: "Oscar started fundraising at school when going through treatment and his dedication to supporting children like him is why the charity exists. When we see children helping children, or in this case a fantastic head teacher like Andrew going that extra mile, it really reminds us of why we do what we do.
"What a great challenge - and a brand new one for us. But so difficult - Andrew deserves all the support the people of York can give him."
OSCAR's will be taking part in their own walk on May 3 2026 as they hike across the Nine Edges in The Peak District.
Open for anyone aged five and over, if you are inspired by Andrew's trek then head to oscarscharity.org/events to learn more. To support Andrew please go to: https://www.justgiving.com/page/andrew-buttery-1
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