RSPCA inspector could be the first woman to complete 1,500 mile run
South Africa challenge is in aid of RSPCA wildlife centre
An RSPCA inspector is set to run an amazing 1,500 miles across South Africa in a harrowing challenge to raise money for one of the charity’s wildlife centres.
Emma Timmis (27), who recently completed her training and became a fully-fledged RSPCA inspector, hopes to raise at least £15,000 (£10 per mile) in aid of the RSPCA’s Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre in Nantwich, Cheshire.
Starting on Saturday 8 October 2011, Emma plans to run 25 miles a day for 60 days from Durban to Cape Town.
Emma, who lives in Sandbach, Cheshire, said: “I’ll be running a route known as the Freedom Trail, more commonly used by mountain bikers. It’s quite a mountainous route, and I’ll be running on tracks and trails.
“I believe only one other person has ever completed this challenge and if I manage it I will be the first woman ever to have done it.”
Accompanied by her brother, who will cycle the route, Emma plans to run for six hours a day and spend each night in a tent.
She said: “I think the biggest difficulties will be the heat and avoiding injury. I’ve always wanted to do a fundraising challenge like this, and really admire the RSPCA’s work, so it’s great to be able to support it in this way.
“The RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre team is amazing – I take injured wildlife there almost every day and they do such a fantastic job to look after them.
“I’ve chosen to raise money specifically for Stapeley Grange as I think people give money for cats and dogs and wildlife is sometimes forgotten.
“All of the money I raise will go to their ‘equipment fund’. They desperately need to raise £4,000 to renovate their mammal sheds which house a variety of orphaned and rescued wildlife casualties.
“They also need a new anaesthetic machine, oxygen concentrators, matting for outside pools where hundreds of waterfowl are cared for each year, plus radio tracking equipment. This is on top of the basic equipment needed to feed and house the animals.”
To support Emma’s challenge, please visit www.justgiving.com/emma-hoskins or text EMMA50 plus the amount you want to donate to 70070.You can follow Emma’s training and find out more about the challenge on her blog at: http://freedomrunning.wordpress.com/ and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/runemma.
RSPCA, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 9RS
Press office direct lines: 0300 123 0244/0288 Fax: 0303 123 0099
Duty press officer (evenings and weekends) Tel 08448 222888 and ask for pager number 828825
Email: press@rspca.org.uk Website: www.rspca.org.uk
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