THE team at Melksham charity, Evie’s Gift, is inviting people to take part in the ‘Jurassic Coast 13’ next month, to raise funds for the charity, which is now six years old.
Evie’s Gift was set up by parents Bryan and Patsy Clover in memory of their daughter Evie, who died in 2018 after being diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of 13. Evie’s Gift offers support to families whose children have been admitted to hospital.
The event, which is an annual challenge, takes place on Saturday 25th May this year and will see walkers complete a 13-mile hike.
“Evie loved the Jurassic coast. That’s why we go back every year and hike for 13 miles, one for each year of her life,” explained Bryan.
“The hike is a personal challenge for anyone who wishes to support the charity. It will start and finish at the Charmouth Beach car park, inland initially, then back along the coast, including a climb up Golden Cap, the highest peak along that stretch of coast.”
Bryan says he hopes the challenge will raise around £4,000 for the charity. “There will be some very steep climbs, narrow paths and potentially water-logged areas if the rain keeps up,” he says. “It will take around five to six hours to complete. The main thing to overcome any challenges is to dig deep and press on!
“We set people off in groups of four to six, so that they don’t cause bottle necks. We literally sign them out and back in again from the start point so we know where everyone is. We stay in touch by Whatsapp during the hike. Any changes or warnings are sent out by Whatsapp during the day. One marshall goes out 20 minutes ahead of the rest to make sure that the there are no late changes or obstructions (bulls in a field, road closures that sort of thing), and another follows up at the rear to sweep up people that may be struggling. There are first aiders at the front, centre and rear.”
Donations to the charity can be made via the Donate button on the website, or Bryan says people can set up their own fundraising pages.
To find out more information or to contact the charity about taking part visit the website https://eviesgift.org.uk/
