A local gardener has tasked himself with a gruelling trek across a desert to raise money for a charity dedicated to caring for sick and terminally ill children.
Roy Godwin, assistant head gardener at Sculpture by the Lakes, has committed to walking 100km of the Sahara Desert in North Africa - the world’s largest hot desert which covers 9,200,000 square kilometres.
Completing the challenge over five days in November, Roy is raising money and awareness for the ‘Friends pf PICU’, a charity dedicated to caring for sick and terminally ill children at Southampton Hospital Paediatric Intensive Care Unit.
The charity is incredibly close to Roy’s heart after the paediatric team at Southampton Hospital cared for his niece and goddaughter, Esmee Godwin, in 2007 after she fell ill with what was originally considered as a bad strain of chicken pox.
Esmee went on to develop double pneumonia in both lungs, in addition to a serious blood infection and a destroyed immune system. Heartbreakingly, after a brave battle for almost three weeks, Esmee passed away at the age of two.
Roy said: “Friends of PICU and all the staff of Southampton Hospital work incredibly hard 24 hours a day to help sick and terminally ill children. I am so proud of this hospital and the local community which care for our children, and it is my privilege to help in some way.”
Roy is receiving donations through a dedicated JustGiving page, and with the help of corporate sponsors Sculpture by the Lakes, Cahill Motor Services, Henryettas Hooks, and Lyons Gate Gardening Services with fantastic support from the wider community, Roy has so far raised £4,250.
With the additional support of local gym Anytime Fitness Dorchester, Roy is currently training hard for his upcoming event and is determined to raise as much money as he can for the cause.
Roy added: “When the life of a child is saved, you haven’t saved one life, but also the lives of parents, family members and loved ones who are connected to that life.”
If you would like to read more about Roy’s charity challenge and motivation for this event, or if you’d like to sponsor, you can visit the charity link at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/roy-godwin
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