Covid: Ex-soldier swaps Shetland island isolation for Aberdeen tent
A former paratrooper who spent the first lockdown on a previously uninhabited Shetland island now plans to isolate in a tent in Aberdeen.
Fundraiser Chris Lewis has walked thousands of miles of the UK coastline after setting off from Wales in 2017. He spent three months living in a former shepherd's hut on Hildasay. He was able to leave in June and continue his expedition, and now hopes to raise awareness of homelessness during his tent stay in Aberdeen. He will be joined by girlfriend Kate Barron and his dog Jet Mr Lewis is raising money for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, with donations so far reaching more than £175,000. The charity had previously helped Mr Lewis when he became homeless. Tens of thousands of people have been following his journey on a Facebook page, Chris Walks the UK. He set off from Llangennith beach on the Gower Peninsula in August 2017 with just £10 in his pocket and a few days of supplies. Mr Lewis, from Swansea, was sleeping in a tent on mainland Shetland when lockdown restrictions were imposed back in March. He was given permission to live in the only house on Hildasay with Jet. In late June, they left the island and resumed their walk around the UK coastline. They have now reached Aberdeen along with Mr Lewis' girlfriend Kate, whom he met during his walk. 'I have a platform' They will pause their journey when mainland Scotland is placed into level four restrictions on Boxing Day, camping out in woodland. Mr Lewis said: "I really want to highlight homelessness over Christmas. We are going to sleep rough with the homeless to show what it is like, how it feels to sleep on the streets. "I've been homeless myself so I know what it feels like. I'm really keen to show others and I have a platform to be able to do it." He explained: "We're going to pitch camp in the woods and stay there until lockdown is over, then the walking boots will be back on and we'll be continuing. "I think it will be a really good opportunity. I'll continue to learn new things - we are looking at this as a positive thing and will make every day count. "I'm going to make a point of doing more foraging and living off the land. The local people here are so supportive too."