A Sunderland energy employee is trekking to great lengths to raise money for a national breast cancer charity.
Emma Henderson, from Durham, a customer operations manager at EDF Energy’s Doxford International Park-based customer service centre, will be taking on the Great Wall of China in October, alongside fellow EDF Energy employee Louise Tyrell, to raise money for the company’s official charity partner Breast Cancer Now.
Emma and Louise will pool their efforts together by hosting raffles with prizes donated by local businesses, dress-down days and other activities at Doxford, Exeter and Plymouth, where Louise is based. Together, the pair aim to raise at least £6000 for Breast Cancer Now.
The tough challenge will take place over seven days, with Emma and Louise starting the trek four hours outside of Beijing. The trek will see them take on various terrain and scenery, as they walk through the Yan Mountains, the eastern pathway to the Great Wall of China.
Emma said: “I’m under no illusion that this will be an easy fundraising challenge, far from it – but it will make it all the more rewarding when we reach the Great Wall. Between now and then, there’s still a lot of hard work to be done.
“Louise and I are training a lot to prepare for what’s ahead. We’ll also be focusing on raising as much as we can for Breast Cancer Now.”
As well as Emma and Louise’s fundraising efforts, Doxford customer service employees Natasha Robson, Tom Usher, Claire Edmundson, Mark Watson, Michael Jones, Carrie-Ann Robinson, Martin Atkinson and Elisa Jackson will be taking on a 10-mile ‘Tough Mudder’ challenge in September, to raise money for the national breast cancer charity.
Tough Mudder is an endurance series which comprises of different obstacle courses, which puts physical fitness and mental strength to the test.
Breast Cancer Now has been EDF Energy’s charity partner since 2016 and EDF Energy has pledged to raise £450,000 for the charity over the course of the partnership. The fundraising was nearly £100,000 ahead of target at the half-way point of the partnership.
To donate to Emma and Louise’s fundraising page, visit: https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/emmaandlou