Press release issued by EACH

News Release      

      

Group to endure subzero temperatures for children’s hospice

An intrepid group of fundraisers are hoping an arctic pursuit will raise thousands of pounds to support a local children’s hospice.

Claire Whittenbury, of Walberswick, has organised an arctic challenge which will see her and a group of friends completing a 225 km husky drive across Northern Scandinavia in subzero temperatures which could reach -40 degrees.

Claire, who is a teaching mentor and felt maker, will undertake her challenge with team mates Mark Nussey, of Avondale road, Lowestoft, who is a self- employed Physical Activity Consultant and Andy Deacon, also of Deacon Road, Lowestoft, who is Assistant Partnership Manager for the Lowestoft and Beccles Schools' Sport Partnership.

They will also be joined by Laura Neale from Mill Lane in Great Leighs, Chelmsford, who works at Pets at Home, and Rob Bevan from Didcot.

Claire took part in an Arctic challenge last year with Laura, Rob is one of Claire’s oldest friends, Mark helped Claire train for last year’s adventure and Andy is a friend of Mark. The group hope to raise more than £20,000 for EACH with their efforts.

Claire said: “We wanted to do this challenge for EACH. We feel it's important to challenge ourselves to raise a minimum of £20,000 to help EACH to continue the amazing work they do. Some of us work in schools and children's clubs and our motivation is to do the best we can for children and families who need the kind of care EACH provides.”

The group will travel to Northern Scandinavia in April 2011- where they will each drive a team of six Alaskan huskies across the frozen wastes for a week.

They will camp in tents and ice holes, and hope to reach their northernmost point in fours days, covering around 60 km a day.

Similar challenges are currently being undertaken by celebrities on the ITV programme 71 Degrees North which began airing since September this year.

Viewers will have seen the celebs undertaking tough challenges including dog sledging, ice swimming, ice climbs, snow cave digging and rope holding and will understand the extreme limits the team will endure.

If you would like to know more please contact Claire Whittenbury, or visit the team’s fundraising webpage: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/eastanglianarcticchallenge

If you have been inspired by this challenge; EACH has a number of fundraising challenges you can take part in including: a London to Paris cycle ride, a Kilimanjaro Trek, a Channel Islands sail and a Peru trek to Machu Picchu. For more information call: 01223 205180.

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Notes to Editors

EACH needs to raise £4 million in donations to deliver our services this year. This amounts to £11,000 a day, every day of the year.

We support families and care for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.

We deliver a range of services that includes: short break care, specialist play activities, music therapy, hydrotherapy, parent groups, sibling groups, care at end of life and bereavement support for all family members.

We provide care and support wherever the family wishes– in the families’ own home, in hospital or at one of our hospices in Ipswich, Milton or Quidenham.

We continue to develop the quality and range of our services to support children and their families. Last year we helped 464 families by delivering 75,000 hours of care and support - an increase of more than 15 per cent on the previous year.

For more information about EACH, including forthcoming events and how you can help raise funds, visit www.each.org.uk or call 01223 205180/ 01953 715559. Registered charity number 1069284.

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For further information about this release please contact:

Lindsey Newton

Press and Media Officer

01223 205183; 07501 432788 lindsey.newton@each.org.uk