grounded at home, walking for history

Blog 5

By Debra Brunner

For those of you following my journey, you’ll know that last week I was meant to be basking in the Cretan sun on a long-awaited family holiday, and doing my training walks among olive trees whilst soaking up Mediterranean views. But alas, it wasn’t meant to be—thanks to a passport hiccup at the Gatwick Airport check-in desk (you can read all about that drama in Blog #4 – click here).

So, instead of Greece, I stayed in the UK and did my best to emulate a slower holiday pace at home. Easier said than done! Still, it turned out to be a week full of excitement and renewed purpose and the sun shone too!

While I was grounded, Artur—my co-founder of The Together Plan and our Country Director in Belarus—was on site at the Brest-Litovsk Jewish Cemetery Memorial, sending back stunning images of the progress. It’s finally coming together. Pathways are being laid, and the central mound—where hundreds of salvaged gravestones will stand—is taking shape. Click here to hear from Artur. Every time I see the latest photos and the video messages from site, I’m reminded why I’m doing this. All the training miles, the early starts, the sore feet—it’s all worth it. This week, I clocked up another 18 miles – 5 miles on Tuesday, 5 miles on Thursday and 8 miles on Sunday—my longest training walk so far!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Sunday’s walk was extra special because I was joined by Emma Phillips, who is also training for the marathon and fundraising for the memorial. We’ll be walking together through London on June 8th for the final push to raise the funds needed to complete this historic project.

The weather was glorious—sunny, clear skies, perfect for walking. We power walked almost four miles through the beautiful Hertfordshire countryside to Battlers Green Farm, a true hidden gem. It’s a family-run working farm with a charming courtyard of local shops and a lovely café where we paused for a well-earned coffee. After that, Emma and I parted ways—she headed home, and I continued my route back.

Emma and I have known each other for years through our BNI Chipping business networking chapter, where we meet every Friday with 51 other business representatives. Back in January, I announced our “Stepping Out Together” walkathon to the group, aiming to raise the final funds needed to complete the Brest-Litovsk Memorial. Without hesitation, Emma readily signed up.

Her family-run company, Houseman Properties, offers top-tier property management services, and with her legal background, Emma brings a unique professionalism to her work—especially valuable for overseas landlords. What’s more, Houseman Properties are one of our campaign sponsors and for that we are truly grateful. As we walked, Emma shared more about her business, and I got to share more about the mission and impact of The Together Plan.

Emma has already raised over £2,000 for the memorial—an incredible achievement. She is video logging her progress as he goes which is helping to create awareness and raise the funds. She’s a true campaign champion and a fantastic walking partner.

With each step, the dream of completing the Brest-Litovsk Jewish Cemetery Memorial moves closer to reality. And as June 8th draws near, I’m more determined than ever.

Well that’s week 4 done—so many more miles to go! You can click here to see a flyover of my 8 mile route. Thank you to everyone supporting this journey. Your encouragement keeps me going, and I can’t wait to share more updates soon. Onward to Week 5!

Debra x

To join the campaign and register to walk – (you choose your distance, route and date between April 18^th and June 8th) click here

If you are in the USA – register to walk here

To make a donation – click here

To make a donation in the USA – click here

with special thanks to our ‘stepping out together’ walkathon sponsors –  I will be very happy to introduce you directly

• Houseman Properties – Family-run estate and letting agents, North London.
• Projekt Rising – Customized artificial intelligence solutions.
• Evertex Linens – Specialists in table linens, accessories, and printed textiles for events.
• Walfinch East Barnet – In-home care for independent living.
• Athletic Development Club – Personal training centre, Cockfo