A Woking woman is planning a 100km (62-mile) trek across the Brecon Beacons to raise money for breast cancer charity CoppaFeel!
Charlotte Burch, also known as Lottie, applied on a whim to take part in CoppaFeel!’s Celebrity Charity Trek, which takes place in the south Wales mountains over five days in June.
“Then a couple of weeks ago I received an email to say that I’d been selected,” Lottie said. “I need to raise at least £2,250 to take part in the trek, but if I can get the funds I’ll be setting out on this challenge to help CoppaFeel!’s lifesaving mission. It’s an incredible opportunity and one I couldn’t pass up.”
Lottie, 30, celebrates her birthday in the week of the trek.
“I’m a self-proclaimed couch potato,” she added. “I enjoy long walks around cities and National Trust parks, but never something that I’d consider endurance. This is going to take a fair bit of training to get myself to a level where I won’t feel like I can’t go on after day one. I’ll be forming some kind of training plan with the help of the CoppaTrek! team, and I have lots of friends who are more than willing to support me.
“I’ve always been incredibly passionate about helping others in some capacity; I spent a few of my teenage years raising money for Cancer Research UK as a lot of my family unfortunately passed away with different forms of cancer.
“More recently, I’ve tried to take on small physical challenges to support Mind, the mental health charity, as I’ve suffered with poor mental health over the years and have spent the last six years of my career, I work in HR, increasing awareness of how to maintain your wellbeing.
“Last year I lost my mum, Sharon, after a short illness, not cancer, but by losing her I felt like I’d lost my sense of belonging and identity, that I’d lost part of myself. Nobody really prepares you for losing a loved one and I couldn’t quite find the way to get my feet back on the ground. And that’s when I found CoppaTrek! I feel like I need the challenge to remind myself how amazing life is, how incredible the sense of community is, and to be part of something that I know will be life-changing.
“I’ve known so many people, directly and indirectly, affected by breast cancer and they have leant on the support of this wonderful charity.
“CoppaFeel! are on a mission to make sure young people get to know their body well enough to have the confidence to see their GP if something just doesn’t feel normal.”
For more information or to donate, visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/lottie-goes-trekking-in-wales