A local politician has completed an arduous two-month hike from the south of England to the top of Scotland.

Manx farmer John Anderson, who is chairman of Patrick Commissioners, has reached the end of his 1,000-mile trek at John O’Groats after setting off on foot from Land’s End on September 20.

John’s Walk for Freedom was in aid of anti-slavery charity International Justice Mission (IJM).

His efforts have raised more than £32,000 towards the cause, which estimates that 40 million people are trapped in slavery today with one in four of these being a child.

Mr Anderson, of Knockaloe Beg Farm, said: ’Not only have we doubled the amount we aimed to raise, but it has been an amazing opportunity to reconnect with old friends, make new ones and recount the incredible stories of rescue from slavery that were literally happening as I walked.

’Thirty-five different people have walked with me and people from on and off-island have made a special effort to meet up to support me en route.’

Some people hosted Mr Anderson along the way in their homes with some providing additional support.

His wife, Fiona, drove a campervan along the way to guarantee that the farmer had somewhere to rest his head after a long day of walking.

Logistics

’Fiona managed all the logistics and cheered me at every stage, all whilst communicating with limited internet and driving a 28-year-old campervan with no power steering!’ he said.

The easy job, he said, was walking about 25 miles a day for 48 days.

He felt moved to do something to help prevent modern day slavery after his daughter, Zoe, began working for the charity in Scotland.

IJM are a global team of lawyers, social workers and undercover investigators who address slavery and violence.

Mr Anderson aimed to raise £15,000, which would be enough to fund three IJM rescue operations.

One rescue costs about £5,000 and could free one person or a group of people. The largest rescue freed 564 people, the charity said.

Mr Anderson has raised enough to fund six rescue operations, it added.

Rescues that took place during the time he was walking included: 44 children and 32 adults rescued from a jewellery factories in India; four teenagers rescued from the cybersex industry in the Philippines; three boys rescued from the Ghanaian fishing industry; six adults (including two pregnant women) and a four-year-old boy from a silkworm factory in India.

Mr Anderson thanked his sponsors: Steam Packet Company; Manx Telecom; Bridson & Horrox which designed campervan signage, and Manx Mohair for its 1,000-mile socks.

Read Mr Anderson’s blog here: johnswalkforfreedom.co.uk.

Search the charity here: ijmuk.org.