Olwyn gets set for China charity trek

A GRUELLING trek along the Great Wall of China is the challenge one woman has set herself to raise money for a children s hospice. Olwyn Sparrow from Saffron Walden heads for Beijing and the start of her Chinese challenge in a little over three weeks time

A GRUELLING trek along the Great Wall of China is the challenge one woman has set herself to raise money for a children's hospice.

Olwyn Sparrow from Saffron Walden heads for Beijing and the start of her Chinese challenge in a little over three weeks time in a bid to raise thousands of pounds for the East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH).

"I first got involved with EACH's Milton hospice about a year ago when I was helping at activity days for siblings of children using the hospice," said Mrs Sparrow. "Having seen what good work they do and how much the children enjoy the days I decided I wanted to do more to help."

The eight-day trek along the Great Wall will require between five and eight hours of walking per day and Mrs Sparrow has been training daily for the challenge as well as collecting sponsorship. So far she has raised nearly �3000.

Marketing manager at EACH, Rachel Wright, said: "This is a fantastic amount to have raised. At EACH we rely on public support for the vast majority of our income.

"The money Olwyn has raised will make a real difference, and help us continue to provide care and support to local life-threatened children and their families."

EACH provides care and support to children in the family home or at one of the three hospices in Quidenham, Milton and Ipswich.

This year it is anticipated that it will cost around �5.5 million to run all three hospice services and approximately 75per cent of this is required from voluntary donations.

For further information about EACH visit the website www.each.org.uk

To sponsor Mrs Sparrow, who sets off on May 9, visit her fundraising page at www.each.org.uk/olwyn-sparrows-china-challenge