COMMUNITY choir members are limbering up for a mammoth 73-mile hike to raise money for a children’s bursary fund in memory of their late leader, Amy Purvis, who tragically died after a car accident nine months ago.
Eleven members of Euphoria Community Choir are hoping to complete the entire Cumbria Way in just five days.
Choir member Cloedie Yeadon said: “Amy and I were planning to walk the Cumbria Way. When she died, I knew I wanted to continue with our plan and do it in her memory.
“There are 11 of us taking part and we’re made up of Amy’s close friends and family.”
Mrs Yeadon, along with Amy’s partner Steve Richardson and Owen Moody, Val Murdoch, Rachel Tweddle, Rachel Atkinson, Jen Todd, Lydnsey Purvis, Emma State, Honey Forsyth and Esther Jackson, will set out from Ulverston on Saturday.
They hope to average 15 miles a day to reach Carlisle on Monday, October 3.
Along the way they will be joined by other friends and family with a big crowd, including Amy’s daughters on the final day. A support team made of up Piers Jackson, Jonny Elliot and Andy Yeadon will ensure they can concentrate on the walk and will be on hand for moral support.
Mrs Yeadon said: “The logistics of this has been crazy. Rachel Tweddle has done a huge amount of planning, sorting out the accommodation and transport because there are so many of us to be taken to the start and picked up at the finish.
“Amy was packed full of energy and kindness and she taught singing and performing arts. She had a passion about all children being given the opportunity to enjoy the arts.
“The idea is to have a children’s fund for music lessons, performing arts and dance lessons to ensure all youngsters have the opportunity to be able to access the arts.
“The walk and the money raised is very much about what Amy would have loved. Amy taught singing and performing arts and she had a passion about all children being given the opportunity to enjoy them and didn’t like to think that any child would miss out because of money.
“She offered funded places for children who financially would not have been able to attend sessions and we want to continue that in her name.”
A go-fund me page has been set up and has already raised £1,720 for the bursary with additional donations and sponsorship from businesses and organisations including from Barnard Castle fund-raising group The Clique, bringing the total to date to more than £2,000.
Mrs Yeadon added: “When Amy and I first decided to do the walk she said we should just do it, take some Compeed blister plasters and something to drink, but we have all been doing training and it has been quite nice to have something to focus on and this is someone speaking who doesn’t walk a lot.
“We have had a practise and all we are hoping for is some decent weather.”
For more information or to donate to the Amy Purvis Fund for Performing Arts visit www.gofundme.com/the-amy-purvis-fund-for-performing-arts
