A week into his 2,000km walking challenge across Europe, Quooker UK managing director Stephen Johnson has officially passed the 500,000-step milestone in his journey, raising a significant sum for his chosen charities along the way.
In January 2025, Johnson announced plans to complete a walking challenge in honour of his late father, Neville Johnson, that would see him walk 2.6 million steps and nearly 2,000 km across a 31-day period, with him needing to walk an average of 65km each day.
His route began in Düsseldorf, Germany, and will conclude at the company’s Spanish HQ in Barcelona, taking him across five countries. Along the way, Johnson says he aims to raise £100,000 for two children’s charities: Grief Encounter and Friendship Circle.
Just eight days into his journey, Quooker said he has already managed to raise an incredible £25,000 for the children’s charities.
According to Johnson, he has already walked 449km, and his route has taken him through Belgium and Germany. The Quooker MD has said he has to spend between 11 to 13 hours walking each day in order to reach his target of travelling 2,000km before the end of August.
“This milestone is a testament to the power of community,” Johnson commented. “Every step is fuelled by the support of our dealers, customers, and colleagues and we’re just getting started.”
To help support the immense fundraising challenge, Quooker has also launched a new initiative where customers who donate to the cause can be entered in to a raffle to win one of six complete Quooker systems. According to the tap brand, one of the Quooker systems has already been given away to one lucky supporter. The company is also encouraging Quooker retailers to create their own in-store fundraising teams and logging local walks.
Johnson’s gruelling walk across Europe this month follows his successful completion of another walking challenge in August 2024. Last year, the Quooker MD set out to walk 1,000 miles to raise money for Grief Encounter – a challenge he surpassed by hitting his goal early. Despite the early finish, Johnson actually increased his step target and continued walking even further to continue raising funds for the charity.
To donate to Stephen Johnson’s fundraising page, click here.