A Herefordshire massage therapist has upped her training schedule as she aims to raise money for charity.
Elly Ingram from Kington hopes she will be able to complete the Inca Trail in the Peruvian Andes to raise money for Water Aid this year. 36 year-old Elly had the trek cancelled last year due to COVID-19 but has kept working on her fitness for the five day trek which goes up to 4,200 metres above sea level Elly did complete a virtual Inca Trail challenge over the same distance and days and was presented with a medal. But now she is clocking up the miles again in the hope the trek can go ahead in April.
If April isn’t possible, it will be moved to later in the year. Elly said: “I am doing this challenge to raise £4,000 for Water Aid because I think a lot of people take for granted our access to clean water here and reading some of the stories about people walking miles to water sources makes me realise how lucky we are.
“We are so lucky that we have clean water at the turn of a tap in the UK. Some people don’t have it at all, they may have to walk miles to a water source every day, which may not even be clean. It could have animal faeces and parasites in it.
“The charity is aiming to provide clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene to everyone, everywhere within a generation. It is even more important now with the importance of hand washing being highlighted during the pandemic.
“I wanted to challenge myself with something out of my comfort zone, that felt a bit scary for me.
“I have wanted to do it for a while, but was always too scared and didn’t think I’d be fit enough!
“So on New Year’s Eve 2020 everyone was talking about New Year’s resolutions and I decided this would be mine. I was disappointed not to be able to do it last year but I have my fingers crossed that I will be able to compete this goal in 2021.”
So far, Elly has been walking around town and up and down Hergest Ridge in preperation for the trek. The former Lady Hawkins pupil is no stranger to fundraising after competing the London Marathon in 2011 raising £1,600 for Golfal, a Welsh mental health charity. To support Elly and Water Aid visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/elly-ingram-trek
