So, the night before last I walked across hot coals. Yes! Really! I really did do it! Six times hotter than a barbecue, they said. Hot enough to melt aluminium. And I felt it! But it didn’t hurt, and I didn’t get burned. Not one jot. I know you probably don’t believe me, but it’s true.

All people have been asking me since yesterday is, “how did you do it?” The truth is, I don’t really know. I mean, it was explained to us; there are several complex reasons why it’s physically possible to do, but none of that answers the question of how, standing there in front of the intense heat, smoke and glowing coals, was I able to take that first step?

There were 18 of us altogether performing the stunt. Alongside me were two other members of AfA staff and 15 fantastically brave and enthusiastic supporters. In the hours leading up to the stunt, we underwent a real bonding experience: we were in this together, knees knocking and eyes wide as we underwent our training, and the adrenaline was pumping through us together as a group. By the time we walked out into the courtyard and saw the crowds of people gathered to watch, we were truly buzzing and really raring to go.

I’ll be truthful: amid my busy schedule and trying to organise this event, I hadn’t really had a chance to think too much about it and get nervous. Several of the volunteers had been roped into the events by friends and family and were looking deathly white with fear. But when we were taken by our trainer to watch the 20 feet of kindling be lit and grow into waist-high licking flames, I did start to think, ‘what have I done?’

Yet there I was, an hour later, in a line surrounded by all my new friends, jumping up and down, spectators cheering, watching the red-hot coals get raked over in preparation for us, and all I wanted was to get on it. I was looking at that burning ground and I just couldn’t wait to put my feet on it and show everyone what we could do.

I don’t really know how to explain what changed, but it wasn’t just training. The camaraderie, the adrenaline, the cheering outside, the realisation that we had complete control over our environment and, most importantly, reminding ourselves why we were taking this challenge: these things transformed the way we were feeling, and fear turned into excitement.

So off we all went down the path of burning embers. It was over in a flash. I’m told I got an enormous cheer, but everything around me had zoned out and all I was aware of was the ground in front of me. I do remember roaring with elation as I took those steps, and punching the air with both arms. I also remember, as soon as I was done, I wanted immediately to go back and do it again. It turns out that every single one of us felt the same.

When I looked around me afterwards, at the hundred-or-so cheering onlookers munching on their veggie-burgers, the eighteen mad-eyed and sooty-footed fundraisers jiggling about with glee, the burning ground next to me, it really hit home what we can achieve if we put our minds to it. This was only a small, local event, but our running total is already over £3,000, an amount which can achieve phenomenal things for animals, and there are a hundred-odd people who have learnt something about OneKind. As more people hear about this crazy event we had, more people will hear about OneKind. And next year’s Firewalk will be even bigger and even better!

As far as we here are concerned, that’s how big things are achieved and challenges overcome: you start small, you start with what you have, and you build from there. Making the world a better place for animals may often seem like an insurmountable challenge, a losing battle. But everything starts somewhere and history has certainly shown us that the impossible can be achieved. If we all start with the simple things, if we all make one or two small changes in our lives, then we have a start; and everyone doing this together means that your small individual changes translate into big impact.

So, perhaps one of your small things could be to join us for next year’s Firewalk! It doesn’t hurt, I promise. And you’ll never forget it.

Heléna’s Firewalk sponsorship page is active until 30th June, so there’s still time to show your support both for Heléna and for the animals that are helped through OneKind by visiting www.everyclick.com/helenagibney.

If you’re interested in taking part in next year’s Firewalk, let us know by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .