University of York duo to walk 125 miles in five days to combat regional educational inequality

Posted on Tuesday 10 March 2026

Mary Haworth, Director of Philanthropic Partnerships and Alumni, and Elke Versmessen, a dedicated advocate for regional educational equity and wife of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Charlie Jeffery, will trek 125 miles across the region to raise vital funds for community learning centres. 

Starting at IntoUniversity Grimsby on Monday, 20 April, the pair will walk to the centres in Hull and Bridlington before finishing at The Place in York on Friday, 24 April. 

The route is no easy stroll. Starting on the rugged North Lincolnshire coast, Mary and Elke will battle the exposed elements of the Humber Estuary before trekking through the urban heart of Hull. From there, the terrain shifts from the salt-sprayed coastline of Bridlington to the challenging uphill and down dale climbs of the Yorkshire Wolds; they will face everything the landscape, and the weather, can throw at them.

Postcode lottery

The challenge comes at a critical time for Yorkshire and the Humber. Statistics reveal a stark postcode lottery for young people with 34% of children in the North living in poverty, compared to 28% in the rest of England. Children facing disadvantage in Yorkshire and the Humber start school roughly five months behind their peers. By the time they leave primary school, that gap has doubled to 10 months, and by the end of secondary school, it’s nearly two years. 

Child poverty rates in the region are at their highest level in over 20 years due to the cost-of-living crisis. Disadvantage in childhood often leads to lifelong struggles with health, lower attainment, and reduced economic prospects. 

The University of York is committed to closing education gaps in the region through its involvement in the four community-embedded learning centres. These hubs provide academic support, mentoring, and employability skills to over 4,000 young people annually.

Opportunity

Elke Versmessen commented on the motivation behind the trek: “I have seen firsthand how unequal access to education can be. Opportunity and the choices our children make about their futures should not vary dramatically according to where they live. Our centres in Grimsby, Hull, Bridlington, and York work to even up that opportunity. Is walking 125 miles in five days slightly crazy? Absolutely! But if it means giving more kids a real choice, I’m all in.”

Mary Haworth, a native of the North, added: “As a child of the North myself and now raising two children in Yorkshire, I care deeply about breaking the cycle of inequality. We are walking between our four learning centres to highlight the powerful local networks we’ve built. Our goal is to raise at least £3,400 – enough to support one child through their entire journey at one of our centres.”

Partnership

The funds raised will support the University’s partnership with the charity IntoUniversity and the University of Hull. Together, they have launched dedicated IntoUniversity centres in Hull, Bridlington and Grimsby, bridging educational gaps in coastal communities for children as young as seven.

Additionally, the University has also established The Place in Westfield, York, which supports 800 children and families annually.

It costs approximately £3,400 per child to provide life-changing support through these centres. The University is calling on the local community to sponsor the walk – whether at 10p or £1 per mile – to ensure every young person has the chance to meet their potential.