|
The Great Wall of China Trek
in aid of
Marie Curie Cancer Care
10th - 18th September 2010
£2,400 sponsorship needed by June
to help secure my place
|
|
|
|
|
Why I'm Doing
The Challenge
|
 |
|
|
It was a glorious day when I found I had been accepted to take part in the Great Wall of China Trek for Marie Curie; for I am a traveller and not one to be stuck in one place for too long.
I currently attend University in Winchester where I have just completed my first year and already I feel I need an adventure. Before starting here, I travelled Australia for a year and when I arrived back in the UK, I felt ready to hit the road of education once more. This however dwindled after about two months, as I realised one dreary cold day before the Christmas holidays, that it was in my blood; I was happiest when I was out exploring new cultures and seeing new sights.
I felt like I wanted a challenge but I couldn't just leave Uni.. I had started this journey and I intended to see it through to the end - but there must be something I could do, something to scratch the itchy feet that had been with me since Australia.
The idea came to me shortly after the Christmas holidays, when I heard that I could not only challenge myself and have an adventure, but I could also help others whilst I was at it. Admittedly charity work is only something I have dabbled with previously. I have dipped my toes in and raised a couple of hundred pounds here and there with certain groups or clubs I have been a member with, but I have never taken the plunge and gone all out to raise thousands.
Until now...The Great Wall of China seemed like the perfect way for me to get the challenge I so desperately wanted and would also (I was soon to find out) open my eyes to a whole new world, that the busy person of a hectic society, is so blind to.
Charity; it is an amazing thing and I have learnt a lot on my fundraising journey, which is by no means at an end, but is well on its way.
|
|
|
HOT OFF THE PRESS
|
Emma needs sponsors for
Marie Curie Cancer Care
charity walk along the Great Wall of China
County Times, Friday, May 14, 2010
by James Wilson
|
 |
NEWTOWN's Emma Lander is raising money for Marie Curie Cancer Care charity by completing a sponsored walk along the Great Wall of China.
Emma, 21, needs to raise £2,400 by June to secure her place on the walk which will take place between September 10 and 18 this year.
|
Seven to nine hours per day of solid trekking will occupy these dates with the money raised going towards providing high quality nursing to people with terminal cancer that the Marie Curie Cancer Care provide for.
"I am raising money for Marie Curie as they are a fantastic charity that provides care for people suffering with cancer; as well as making the patient feel as comfortable as possible they also help to lift the massive pressure from the family members at this difficult time," said Emma.
Marie Curie run 10 hospices across the UK, offering free specialist care for patients, and support for the families.
Every year the charity provides care to around 25,000 cancer patients and their families free of charge, and Emma's fundraiser will contribute to the Marie Curie Nurses who now care for around 50 per cent of all cancer patients living at home.
"Remember cancer affects one in three of us. Marie Curie offers this service free of charge and so needs constant donations to be able to continue to do so. £1 provides three minutes of nursing which shows just how much help the charity needs and fundraising events such as this one are a great way to get funds for them," she continued.
To raise support for Emma's walk, donations can be given by visiting www.JustGiving.com/Emma-Lander1
A raffle will also be taking place at Morrisons, in Newtown, on May 28, to raise funds towards Emma's walk on the Great Wall of China.
"I cannot wait for the walk, I think it will be incredibly challenging but well worth it, and being able to hand over a minimum of £3,000 to Marie Curie will be brilliant. Please help me in any way you can to raise the money, every penny helps. Thank you in advance to you all," she concluded.
|
|
|
|
|
Full Backing
|
|
|
|
Working hard to raise money for charity can give you an amazing buzz; that feeling of success can never be taken from you. No, it's not an easy ride but it is a rewarding experience and I'm not shy to admit that I'm proud of what I have so far achieved.
However, saying that, I could not have done nearly as well without the full backing that my parents have wholly given me since I first worded my desire to complete the challenge. The hard work and help they have offered me has been astounding and I thank them from the bottom of my heart.
|
|
|
Emma's
MARIE CURIE GREAT TREK
Raffle Day - 28th May, 2010
Courtesy of
MORRISONS, NEWTOWN
|
Emma with her father Kevin,
anticipating a successful fund raising day |
|
Fantastic day at Morrisons raises
£476.87
for Marie Curie Cancer Care!
|
|
Emma and her father Kevin had a fantastic fund raising day on Friday, 28th May, courtesy of Morrisons, Newtown, as part of Emma's Marie Curie Cancer Care, Great Wall of China Trek, which will take place in September.
"I was at Morrisons from 8am to 7pm and we raised £476.87. I think we have now raised roughly £2,100 towards my initial target of £2,400 by June, so that I can go on the trek in September. I am really chuffed with the day's event! It has really boosted the charity collection!" said a delighted Emma.
She added "People were very generous and I can't thank them enough. We have just finished delivering all the raffle prizes and they were received with great excitement by everyone.
"I'd like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who supported the cause on Friday - my family, everyone who supplied wonderful raffle prizes, the customers who supported me at Morrisons and to the store itself for giving me this wonderful opportunity to raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care. Cheers!"
|
|
|
|
EMMA'S FIRST MARIE CURIE TARGET MET !
£2,437.51
RAISED SO FAR.
The 2nd of June saw Emma's sponsorship smash through her first target of £2,400, which had to be met by the end of June 2010!
This is her first step in guaranteeing her place on the Great Wall of China trek.
Emma needs to reach £3,000 sponsorship to secure her spot
and she is well on the way!
Emma extends her grateful thanks to everyone who have contributed so far.
Her fund raising journey is not over yet though!
|
|
|
|
|
Every Little Helps
|
|
|
|
I have now secured my place on the trek by raising the £2,400 that was asked of me. I still have a way to go with £3,000 being the full amount, but I do not intended to stop there if I raise that much before I leave in September.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who has so far supported me with this cause and also to ask anyone that hasn't yet donated, to reach down and give just a pound to help me on the way with this challenge.
I chose Marie Curie without a second thought as I have admired from afar for a while the work these people do, it is only now as I get older I am realising just how much help charities need. It really is so true that every little helps, so whatever you can give is greatly appreciated and I thank you all in advance.
|
|
|
HOT OFF THE PRESS
|
Fantastic Fundraising Day
County Times, Friday, June 11, 2010
by James Wilson
|
|
Emma and her father, Kevin had a fantastic fund raising day on Friday, 28th May, courtesy of Morrisons, Newtown, as part of Emma's Marie Curie Cancer Care, Great Wall of China Trek.
The County Times first reported on Emma's trek, which will take place in Septermber, and their fundraising day in Morrisons, which ended up as a great success.
|
"I was at Morrisons from 8am to 7pm and we raised £477. I think we have now just about raised roughly £2,400 which is what I need ed to secure my place, so that I can go on the trek in September. I am really chuffed with the day's event! It has really boosted the charity collection!" said a delighted Emma.
She added "People were very generous and I can't thank them enough. We have just finished delivering all the raffle prizes and they were received with great excitement by everyone.
"I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported the cause on Friday - my family, everyone who supplied wonderful raffle prizes, the customers who supported me at Morrisons and to the store itself for giving me this wonderful opportunity to raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care. Cheers!"
Help Emma to keep raising funds by donating online at www.JustGiving.com/Emma-Lander1 or you can now donate using a sponsorship form that can be picked up at the Post Office Kerry.
|
|
|
|
|
The Training
|
|
|
|
So it seems as though I will be walking roughly seven to nine hours every day for five or six days, but I don't actually think the distance we will cover is going to be that great. Perhaps 60-70km. When I found this out, I thought it was going to be a piece of cake and wondered why on earth the trek would take five or six days. That was until I saw a picture of the part of the wall we will be walking on.
Have you seen the Great Wall of China??
The group are going to be driven to a part of the wall where there are no tourists; actually, where there are hardly any people at all. Then we have five or six days to make our way back to Beijing; the pictures I have seen have now warped me into serious training mode. Parts of the wall we will be climbing look near vertical and almost impossible.
Steps on the wall look taller than I am and require the help of two people to drag one person up them, and other parts are so narrow, I'm wondering if it would be in my best interests to join the circus for a while and learn how to balance on a tightrope.
With all this in mind I have been assured that it is not impossible but it is a damn good challenge and that I should be prepared.
Training in January consisted of power walking up and down the hill every day to either Uni. or work and back again and a swim three times a week of half a mile. When April hit, I thought perhaps I should up the game a bit and so started walking up and down a much larger hill in the area, known as St.Catherine's Hill. In the back of my mind I knew this wasn't enough but I felt I had all the time in the world.
June arrived in a flash, I'm not quite sure where it came from, I'm still wondering what happened to April and May. Anyway, June brought with it a briefing day in London about the trek, which is where I first lay eyes on the photos of the part of the wall that I will be trekking.
This day was basically a rocket up my behind, as I realised this was going to be more of a challenge than I anticipated. The first ten metres and the last ten metres are the only flat part of the wall we will see. This trek has the potential to bring me to my knees if I don't buck up my ideas...and fast.
However; there is a problem. Since Christmas I have had what doctor's think may be a trapped nerve in my foot, which is giving me a lot of grief and is most definitely a spanner in the works.
Running seems currently out of the question, walking in my boots a definite no-no. Trainers seem to be OK, but I really need to be wearing in a decent pair of boots ready to take to China.
I am currently waiting referral to a chiropodist to get an exact diagnosis but who knows how long that will take, and then, if there is something wrong, how long will it take to heal?? It's a tough one but I'm doing what I can.
I am now going to try and grace the pool four times a week with my presence and start some serious leg exercises to strengthen them up, so I don't collapse half way across the wall. Long distance walking and running will have to sit on the backburner for now and I will just have to keep my fingers crossed that I get seen to in the near future.
For now I will have to stick to exercises that keep pressure on my foot to a bare minimum.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Briefing
|
|
|
|
The briefing day I attended for the Great Wall of China gave me a great insight to life on the trek. I discovered I will be trekking with 32 other like minded people; that is providing we all hit our sponsorship targets. We are a variety of ages myself being almost the youngest of the group.
The day started with a talk from an experienced trekker, she sat with her foot and calf in a cast; you can imagine the jokes flying around the room at this point. Accompanying her speech were outstanding photographs of the part of the wall we will be trekking, the same photos I mentioned that really put everything into perspective. I was captivated by this point and more than ready to jump on a plane there and then and start my challenge. We were all engaged by the stunning pictures flashing up on the screen and you could feel a buzz of excitement ripple through us as we thought about what we were setting out to do. There was something about the briefing day that made it all the more real; it was the first time it actually hit me that before long I would be in China completing something I have only ever dreamt of.
Life on trek looks pretty promising, except for perhaps, the bright yellow tents that will have to be set up each night in a row. Now I am not a fan of camping, I like the luxury of having a bed, I also like a bathroom to visit in the mornings and I can be a grump if I don't have, what I would call, these few basic requirements. That being said; I am Welsh, and therefore my usual camping experiences are that of howling gale force winds and torrential rain. Yes, even during summer camping these elements seem to grace us with their presence, that's just how it is in Wales.
So yes, whilst on the wall I shall be living in a yellow tent with one other fellow trekker whom will be placed with me on the only knowledge that I am 22 and Female....this could be interesting.
At either end of the wall, I am glad to say, I will have a bed, somewhere in Beijing. The thought of a bed after five days on the wall will probably be a major motivator for me.
I have been assured that whilst on this trip I will not starve, and I will most definitely not lose weight. When I heard this I was intrigued as surely walking nine hours a day uphill for five days would make one shed a few pounds. That was until I saw the pictures of the chefs and their food prep. To say it was enormous would be a massive understatement, there was enough to feed an army and I think that was only one meal. I was impressed; the food looked amazing and the variety was unbelievable. I can most definitely say that refuelling time is likely to be one of my favourite parts of the whole thing.
Whilst on the trek it is likely we will experience very hot days and very cool nights, we have been warned that it could get very humid but we will need to wrap up at night. Humidity will not be the most fun during a trek but we will all be in the same boat and at least the cool nights will give us a break.
The most exciting thing I found out at the induction day was that we will be trekking on a part of the wall where tourists do not go...in fact pretty much where nobody goes. We will be alone for the majority of the trek and we will be sleeping on local farmers land, so I am very excited to realised that this is not just a walk on a wall, this is a chance to experience Chinese culture away from the eyes of normal tourists, this is going to be an adventure I will never forget.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GOOD LUCK WISHES EMMA
from;
|
|
|
|
Hi "LOL", just read about your forthcoming exciting adventure. Enjoy every moment. Peter Wright
All the best for raising the money and GOOD LUCK! XX Samantha Lewis
Wishing you loads of luck on your trek, Emma! Hope you really enjoy the experience! :) Kimmy Selene
I hope this will help towards the final amount. Peter Cotterill
Emma, what you are doing is fantastic - well done - and don't forget to walk 10 metres backwards for me !! Ken Davies
Good luck Emma! Remember to keep yourself hydrated and wear lotsa sun lotion! Lol. If the weather's good.... In China. James Wilson
Hey Hunni, all the best with the walk you'll be fine....... well done for doing this too i'm a very proud friend : ) xxx Danielle Wood
I really hope you get what you need for this, and I'll keep donating when I can! Peter Cotterill
Best of British with the fund rasing! Thomas Edmunds
Good luck with it Emma, your fab.xx Nicholas Stather
Good Luck Miss Emma! xx Lisa Dean
ooooze look im donating! x Terry Lewis
Gd luck emz! Sarah Dingley
Good luck raising the rest hun! xx Andrew Johnson
Hey sis, I'll give a little now and some later throughout the year, I wish I was doing this with you but too much on to start raising money, go to schools and hit them cus you will have a massive audience (non school uniform/silly days) love ya sis xxx James Lander
Go for it Emma, Just had yet another friend who has passed away from this horrible disease, & we know it is a brilliant cause. Michael Lander
Couldn't Gift Aid it so I added the extra. Good luck! Terry Lander
Good luck Emz hope u raise the funds and do the challenge all our love xx xx xx xx x Mummsie and Dad
Good luck Rose Clark
Have fun! : ) Leoni Evans
I wish I could be doing this too! You'll do brilliantly, so I hope you enjoy yourself! Peter Cotterill
Good luck Emma. Well done. I have walked on it but not the whole length.
John Pearce
You'll chuffing love it! :) x Sam Bennett
|
|
|
Emma can be contacted
via mail@penmon.org
if you would like to send her
a good luck message!
|
|
|
|
|
|
WATCH THIS SPACE...............
Emma is sharing her story with us here -
preparation, training and the trek itself!
|
Thank you so much for supporting Emma
with her fund raising for
Marie Curie Cancer Care.
|
