LOCAL business owner Fay, and her beloved Serbian rescue dog, Peach, will be embarking on a challenging marathon hike in April to raise funds for the River Warriors Calne, a local charity dedicated to preserving the environment.
Fay, the owner of Peach of Mind VA Services, is sponsoring her own fundraising effort, aiming to complete the 26-mile trek alongside her canine companion.
The route, carefully mapped and tested by the pair, will showcase the beauty of the surrounding Wiltshire countryside, including some of our local hotspots, such as Roundways, Furze Knoll, the Cherhill Monument, 3 of our white horses (Devizes, Cherhill & Hackpen), Avebury standing stones, Silbury Hill, West Kennet Longbarrow, the Polisher Stone, the Valley of the Stones and the Devil’s Den.
"Close friends know I love walking and being outdoors," Fay said.
"Peach and I once accidentally walked 22 miles in a day, so I figured, why not try for a full marathon while actually trying?"
The chosen charity, River Warriors Calne, holds a special place in Fay's heart. "They are a wonderful group of people who dedicate their free time to making a visible difference each week. I have a passion for wildlife and the environment, and that’s exactly what they look after. Their money is used very carefully and wisely to benefit our local environment, and not the same can be said for many larger charities," she explained.
The River Warriors are a small group of volunteers who do incredible work for our local environment, including caring for the River Marden, planting trees, rewilding and planting flowers for wildlife, improving habitats in neglected areas, brightening up social areas with paintings and mosaics, biological recording, litter picking and educating the younger generation.
Fay is hoping to raise awareness and much-needed funds for the River Warriors, emphasising that "every single penny donated will go directly into their bank account. With some seeds only costing a few pence, every penny really does count!"
And who is Peach, the marathon hiking partner? Peach is a Serbian rescue dog, believed to be a Saluki-Kokoni mix, who arrived in Fay's life and made a remarkable impact. "I struggled a lot with my mental health - and continue to do so - however having Peach has brought so much light to my life and has helped me look after myself better, because I need to be able to take care of her and give her the happiest life possible."
The pair work together, hike together, eat together, holiday together, adventure together and now raise money for charity together. "I’m very lucky that we found each other and have such a strong bond, she’s living her best life and so am I!"
Donations to support Fay and Peach's marathon hike for the River Warriors Calne can be made here.
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