Kind-hearted Hinckley resident Lyni Sargent is preparing to take on a gruelling two-part sponsored challenge, to raise money for our homelessness charity Emmaus Leicestershire & Rutland, in honour of our 10th anniversary.
This September, the self-employed Art Therapist (pictured third from the left, front row) will be tackling a 50km mountain trek through the Alps, followed by a 50km ultramarathon in the Peak District. You can sponsor her via her Justgiving Page.
Lyni lives with daily pain caused by a curvature of the spine, arthritis and asthma, and this situation motivated her to begin training: “I was advised not to do high-impact sports, but I’m a very determined person. I thought, if I’m going to be in pain anyway, I may as well stay active and push myself to do something good and help a charity.”
Having been homeless in the past, Lyni very kindly chose to raise funds for us: “A few years ago I escaped an abusive relationship and spent a week without a home. I ended up going back to the relationship temporarily, because my daughter and I had no control over where we might be housed – we could have been sent anywhere in the UK and we needed to stay in the area. Eventually, thanks to financial help from friends and family, we were able to leave and found a safe place to live.”
“I know that some people aren’t as lucky; they don’t have friends and family to help them if they end up homeless. Emmaus is a great charity because it isn’t just a quick fix; people are given a room and support for as long as they need it. ”
Emmaus Leicestershire & Rutland provides a home, support and meaningful work for up to 16 people who have experienced homelessness, at our accommodation in Hinckley. Some stay for a while as they gain confidence and skills before they are ready to move on to independent living; others require longer-term support. This September, we celebrate our 10th anniversary.
Lyni’s challenge timeline
Lyni’s mountain trek begins on Thursday 8 September and part one will see her hiking 50km across the Alps from Italy to France, via Switzerland. The second event takes place on Sunday 18 September and is a 50km ultramarathon run through the Peak District National Park.
Lyni is also donating a portion of any money raised to the Air Ambulance Service, in memory of her father.
Please help
To sponsor Lyni’s trek, you can visit her JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/lyni
We wish Lyni the best of luck for this amazing adventure.