On the 22nd of October 2011 Susie, Rach, Anna & Lou will be embarking on an epic fund raising challenge. We will be going to trek the Great Wall of China (yes we are mad!).

We are doing this on behalf of Scope, the charity for people with cerebral palsy. We will be walking for five long days and covering over 50 kilometres of winding paths and steep steps. We expect blisters, tears and tantrums but we have decided to take on this challenge because Scope is very close to our hearts.

My brother Daniel, 28, was born with cerebral palsy. Daniel is physically disabled, unable to talk and bound to wheelchair, needing 24 hour care. Daniel is a cheeky, smiley, fun loving guy , with huge enthusiasm and passion for life,(and girls!) but unfortunately his only means of communication is through a computer. Lou is Daniel’s crazy Cousin, whilst Suse and Anna are very close friends, who have known us for a long time and we feel are part of the family, this is why this challenge and charity is so important to us all!!

Every 6 hours a child is born with cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is the most commonly diagnosed physical condition in the U.K, and occurs around the time of birth when part of the brain fails to develop properly. It can happen to any child. Scope is the largest charity in the U.K working with people with cerebral palsy, their families and carers. The money raised from the Great Wall of China Trek will allow Scope to continue running their vital services which are designed to support disabled people in every aspect of their lives, from birth through to adulthood. Scope’s aim is that disabled people achieve equality in everyday life.

We have pledged to raise a total of £9000 for Scope. All we are asking is that you can donate as much or as little as you can to this worthy cause. Literally, every penny will help us reach our goal. Scope is currently only able to reach 1 in 4 people who need help. With your support, Scope will reach more people. To set the ball rolling we have donated the first £600 ourselves. 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity. Remember, if you are an individual U.K tax payer, Scope can claim Gift Aid on your donation. This is where the government reimburses Scope with the tax you have already paid on your gift-at no extra cost to you. In order for Gift Aid to be added to your donation, please tick the box on the website.

Thank you so much for sponsoring us. We will update you all regularly to keep you up to date with our training, fundraising and after the trip to let you know how we got on, if we survived and more importantly, how much we raised!

Thank you again, your sponsorship means a lot to us.

Love Rach, Suse, Anna & Lou