Eileen's charity wall trek

Published on 22nd November 2007 in News

A Goole woman is on top of the world after successfully trekking a 100km stretch of the Great Wall of China for the Alzheimer's Society.

Eileen Knight recently joined 49 people of all ages and from different backgrounds on a seven-day trek on the Great Wall of China. Between them, the 50 trekkers have raised £157,000 to date.

The trip started and finished in Beijing, and covered areas such as the Yanshen mountains, Gubeiko and Juyongguan.

"I would recommend doing the walk to anyone who is fit enough," said Eileen, who was inspired to take up the walk for charity by a friend and colleague who suffers from Alzheimer's.

"We all got on so well together, and we will meet up again in March for a celebration meal."

The group set off on the trek on October 20. On the second evening they stopped in a village and observed a minute's silence for family members and friends who suffer from Alzheimer's.

"We were standing on the top of a mountain, and thought about how good it would have been if those people had been able to join us,' said Eileen.

The Alzheimer's Society is the UK's leading dementia care and research charity for people with dementia, their carers and families.

Eileen's employer, Tesco in Goole, has offered to contribute 20 per cent of the total she raises to the Alzheimer's Society.

Before she set off, Eileen told the Goole Times that she hoped to raise £1,600 for the charity, but she has already passed her goal, raising £2,600 - and the money is still coming in.