TWO sisters are trekking more than 100 miles from coast to coast to raise awareness of the increase in male suicides.
Sandra Muggeridge and her half-sister Dawn Furnell are taking part in a Coast to Coast Walk, racking up 196 miles.
They will start their mission in May, fundraising for CALM - a charity dedicated to preventing male suicide.
Sandra, 54, from Colchester, said: “About ten years ago I lost my brother Jon when he committed suicide. He was 33.
“That has an effect on your family and it wasn’t a very nice time.
“Male suicide is the number one killer for men in the UK.
“Then just before August last year my husband’s nephew, Matthew, committed suicide aged 26.
“I knew suicide was on the increase but it just made me stop and think, this is two people too many.
“My first thought was what could I do to help?
“I thought of volunteering and I would still like to do that, but it takes a lot of planning.
“I also love walking and the Coast to Coast is something I have always wanted to do so it was decided we would do it.”
She and Dawn, 40, are walking the width of England from St Bees in the west to Robin Hood’s Bay in the east.
It will take two weeks and friends and family will be joining them along the way.
Sandra said: “On April 21 I will be walking on a treadmill in Tesco Highwoods and bag-packing and I have also held a couple of raffles in Harris + Hoole coffee shop, Highwoods.
“We originally pledged £1,000 but within three weeks we had already exceeded that so we raised it to £2,000.”
The sisters have set up a fundraising page to boost donations.
They are also looking to hold more fundraising events next month and details on these will be released soon.
To support the trek, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sandraanddawn.
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