A customer services manager from County Durham has completed the trek of a lifetime to help beat a fundraising target for a national breast cancer charity.
Emma Henderson, from Haswell Plough in County Durham, recently completed a gruelling 30 mile charity challenge trek along sections of the Great Wall of China with her EDF Energy work colleague Louise Tyrell to raise money for the company’s official charity partner Breast Cancer Now.
Emma, who works at EDF Energy’s Doxford customer services centre in Sunderland and Louise, based in Exeter, share a passion for hiking and decided to put their best feet forward for a deserving cause when they heard about the once in a lifetime opportunity to walk along parts of one of the wonders of the world.
Planning for the challenge started in March and has been supported by fundraising and donations from work colleagues, family and friends. The demanding walk over different sections of the wall took place over six long days and succeeded in raising nearly £7,000 for Breast Cancer Now – with funds still coming in to overtake the duo’s original target.
Emma said: “It was an amazing experience and one we will never forget. We walked along different sections of the wall every day including some fairly remote parts that had not been renovated and were not usually open to tourists.
“Some of the inclines were very steep with vertical drops on both sides and the terrain was incredibly difficult in places, but the different views and scenery were spectacular and well worth the effort.
“Donations are still coming in but we are delighted to already be ahead of our target and would like to thank all those who have supported us so generously.”
EDF Energy’s partnership with Breast Cancer Now began in 2016 and staff have been working enthusiastically towards a three year fund raising target of £450,000 for the charity.
