TV presenter, author and charity founder Katie Piper OBE has announced she will be taking part in a significant fundraising challenge this year, joining fellow burns survivors.
Piper will take part in this year’s Thames Bridges Trek in London, returning after completing the challenge in 2025, alongside a survivor group from the Katie Piper Foundation.
Piper, who founded the Katie Piper Foundation following her own recovery from life-changing burns injuries, will be taking on the challenge with members of the Foundation’s survivor community as they raise funds and awareness for people living with burns and traumatic scarring.
Taking place on Saturday 12 September, the Thames Bridges Trek will see thousands of walkers cross the capital on a 25km journey from Putney Bridge to Southwark Park, weaving across 16 of London’s historic bridges and taking in some of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
The challenge holds particular significance for the charity, which works to ensure that no survivor faces life after burns and trauma alone.
Founded in 2009, the Katie Piper Foundation is the UK’s only charity providing a complete rehabilitation pathway that extends beyond NHS acute care, offering specialist physiotherapy, psychological support and personalised rehabilitation programmes for people living with burns and scarring injuries.
Speaking ahead of the event, Katie Piper said: “I loved taking part in the Thames Bridges Trek last year. There’s something really special about seeing London from a different perspective, alongside an incredible community of people supporting causes close to their hearts.
“I can’t wait to be back this year, especially to walk alongside our amazing survivor group and cheer everyone on along the way.”
The Thames Bridges Trek will bring together more than 1,500 participants for a journey across London, beginning at Putney Bridge before heading east across 16 historic crossings of the River Thames. Walkers will stop at The Oval Cricket Ground before completing the final section of the route and crossing Tower Bridge en route to a festival-style finish and picnic celebration in Southwark Park. As well as the 25km challenge, there will be a 10km option, starting from Oval Cricket Ground and ending at Southwark Park.
For many members of the Katie Piper Foundation community, taking part represents far more than a physical challenge. Survivors often face long-term physical and emotional recovery after burns and trauma, with confidence, mobility and wellbeing all impacted long after hospital treatment ends.
The Foundation supports people at every stage of that journey, whether their injury occurred recently or decades ago, helping them rebuild strength, independence and self-belief through clinically led, trauma-informed rehabilitation.
Katie’s participation also forms part of a wider weekend of fundraising challenges across the capital organised by Ultra Challenge, including the Thames Moonlight 10 Walk on the evening of Friday 11 September and the Thames Path Ultra Challenge across 12-13 September, which features distances of up to 100km.
As the Thames Bridges Trek returns this autumn, Piper hopes to inspire others to take on the challenge, enjoy a unique view of London and support causes that matter to them.
To join Katie and thousands of Challengers at the Thames Bridges Trek, visit www.ultrachallenge.com/thames-bridges-trek/
