An Upminster councillor put her best foot forward to trek across Morocco and raise more than �2,600 for a local children’s charity.
Linda Van den Hende, who is also a trustee of Hornchurch charity First Step, trekked for four days, climbing up to 4,200 metres up the Atlas Mountains.
She has previously fundraised by taking part in the charity’s abseil for the past six years, and trekked the Great Wall of China and the Inca Train in Peru, but said this was her toughest challenge yet.
She said: “It was much harder than I anticipated because the Atlas Mountains were inhospitable. One day we trekked for 14 hours and it was much harder than the Peru and China treks I have previously done. But it was good fun, and for a good cause, so that made it worth it.
“We would get up early and just start trekking. There were 24 of us and there was a great camaraderie because we were all in it together.”
Linda funded the costs of the trip herself, and all the donations she raised, �2,620, will go to First Step.
If you would like to donate you can log on to her fundraising page at www.justgiving/lindavandenhende.
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