Horsham trekker helping raise £50k in hospice's first overseas challenge

Hospice event fundraiser Michaela Clements, 28, of Standen Place, is hoping to help raise £50,000 for the hospice by trekking through remote countryisde in Northern Vietnam with 14 other fundraisers.

The volunteers, known as the ‘Hanoi Hikers’, left last Saturday (April 9) and will return Sunday April 17. They will be recording their experiences in journals handmade by day patients at the hospice.

Before they left for Vietnam, Michaela said: “Everyone is really looking forward to it.

“We’re about to embark on a challenge of a lifetime.”

As part of the St Catherine’s Hospice events team, Michaela helped chose Vietnam as their destination and worked with The Different Travel Company to organise the trip.

She has been working with the volunteers on raising money through quiz nights, ladies pamper days and even Christmas gift wrapping. Michaela is proud that the group are on track to raise £50,000, which will go towards funding the hospice’s community care.

She said: “It’s such a considerable amount on money, it’s really wonderful.”

The group’s training included walking on Box Hill and climbing Mount Snowdon.

She said: “Our walking boots have well and truly been broken in.”

Having never been to Vietnam, Michaela was very excited for the trip.

She said: “I would love to do something like this again.”

Stressing that she wasn’t nervous, she added: “Adventures are quite addictive in a way - once you’ve done one you’re looking for another one to do.

“It’s a lovely thing to be able to say you’ve done.”

The ‘Hanoi Hikers’ are trekking in the Pù Luông Nature Reserve area of Vietnam and stayed with local families in traditional stilt houses

To support the ‘Hanoi Hikers’ visit www.justgiving.com/HanoiHikers . For more information about how you can take part in a St Catherine’s challenge event visit: www.stch.org.uk or call Hannah Cooke in the Events Team on 01293 447355.