A DETERMINED Worcester man will test his mental strength and physical stamina when he takes part in a trek in the Sahara Desert for charity.
Now in the final stages of preparation, the challenge will see Callum Davies, from Claines, fly out to the Moroccan city of Ouarzazate where he will begin a six-day fundraising trek on February 11 for the 2016 Caudwell Children Sahara Desert Challenge.
The 25-year-old, who works as a part-time marketing co-ordinator and runs his own digital marketing company, admits to having some anxieties about the challenge but said he is confident he can complete the arduous trek.
“I’m not looking forward to getting sand in my socks, pants, hair and everywhere else!” he said.
“However, having completed the Burma Trek in 2014, and finishing multiple half-marathons and 10K runs, I’m really looking forward to it.”
With a great appreciation of the support that Caudwell Children gives to disabled children, the money Callum raises will help the charity deliver specialist equipment, treatments, therapies and short breaks to the 770,000 registered disabled children in the UK.
He said: “My father is disabled and at a young age I acted as a carer for him. I also ran a six-month fundraising campaign which raised £6,000 for a children’s home, that cares for children with learning disabilities and a variety of other conditions, such as autism.
“This has helped me to learn a lot about disability and now giving back, and helping others, has become a way of life for me. Growing up around disability I understand the tremendous pressure put on the family.”
Callum has encouraged his family and friends to sponsor him but he’s now appealing for members of the public, and the business community, to support his efforts in order to raise as much as possible for Caudwell Children.
“I’ve promoted the event through social media, through my employer and through my customers but I really want to smash my target,” he said.
“Many of the therapies, treatments, short breaks and specialist equipment that the charity provides cannot be accessed through statutory measures, so it’s vital that I add to my charity coffers.
“With less than five weeks to go before my first desert trek, I want to raise the bar on my fund-raising.
“If people could sponsor me through my Just Giving page that would be fantastic!”
Visit www.justgiving.com/CallumsSaharaChallenge/ for more information on how to support Callum.
