A GROUP of local people have raised more than £93,000 for Wrexham-based hospice, Nightingale House after walking the Great Wall of China on a fund-raising mission.

Lesley Boreham, from local leasing broker, V4B, joined the 25-strong group on the trek after self-funding the trip and as they travelled from the base of the Great Wall to Beijing, the group walked for seven hours a day over a six-day period. From the mountains of the rural hinterland to the tourist parts of the wall, where marriages were taking place and the Prime Minister of Japan was visiting.

Over the months leading up to the challenge, the group agreed to undertake two tasks – increasing their fitness to be able to undertake the challenge and raising funds for Nightingale House. In addition to the monies they paid for the actual adventure, they each pledged to raise additional money on top of this whilst undertaking physical training sessions and ‘getting to know each other’ sessions.

Lesley, who raised £1,200 said: “Nightingale House is a valued part of our community and being able to help with fundraising is an honour. The amount raised by the group is staggering. It was an amazing experience which I’ll never forget, and the funds raised will be a huge asset for Nightingale House.”

Nightingale House provides specialist palliative care services, free-of-charge, to patients and their families across an area stretching from Wrexham, Flintshire and East Denbighshire to Barmouth and the border towns including Oswestry and Whitchurch.

A spokesperson from Nightingale House said: “Nightingale House Hospice was privileged to have 25 people who led the way when it comes to establishing international challenges within the Hospice and who, at this moment in time, have raised a staggering £93,000 for the Hospice.

“We thank them most sincerely and pay tribute to their spirit, their fortitude and their sense of adventure.”