Hiking to help kids like James

11 February 2010

AN ADVENTUROUS couple will be travelling to the four corners of England in a 1,500mile walk for charity.

Martin Fox and his girlfriend Charlotte Bowley, aged 20, will be heading to Lands End, Great Yarmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed and Whitehaven in a two-and-a-half month hike around the country.

Winscombe's Moorham Road resident Martin and Charlotte, of Amsen Road in Locking, will be doing the walk for cystic fibrosis.

Charlotte's three-year-old nephew James Hart suffers from the life-threatening inherited disease, which can clog the lungs and digestive system with sticky mucus.

Around half of people diagnosed with the illness can expect to live more than 38 years.

Martin, aged 23, said: "Neither of us have done anything like this before.

"I was in a job I didn't enjoy as a sales consultant so I thought I had better leave it for a good reason - and this seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

"On the walk we will get to see England and raise awareness about cystic fibrosis - a surprising number of people carry the gene."

The disease affects more than 8,500 people in the UK and if two carriers have a child there is a one in four chance the baby will have cystic fibrosis.

Martin added: "It would be great to raise £50,000 and it would be good if businesses could get on board and sponsor us.

"We will be going into shops and asking them to back us before we set off in March.

"We are both looking forward to the challenge and to get away and do something worthwhile at the same time."

Martin and Charlotte will be updating readers on their travels on the Mercury website - www.westonmercury.co.uk

To sponsor the couple visit www.virginmoneygiving.com/MartinFox