Teenager to paddleboard HUGE stretch of River Thames for Cornish charity
Emily Read will travel 220km to raise money for Truro-based ShelterBox
Last updated 13th Aug 2022
And a teenager is paddleboarding a HUGE stretch of the River Thames to raise money for a Cornish disaster relief charity.
15-year-old Emily Read from Exeter will travel 220km for ShelterBox, starting on Saturday 13 August.
She was inspired to undertake the challenge when she saw so many people fleeing Ukraine and has set a target of £1,200.
Emily said: "ShelterBox is an amazing charity that supports families in crisis in a really practical way. When I saw so many people fleeing from Ukraine, I wanted to do something to help, and knew that ShelterBox would be offering a lifeline.
"I am hoping to raise £1,200, which would be enough for two complete ShelterBoxes full of essential supplies for a family to survive. Although I don’t know which country these will go to, I do know that these boxes will help to save lives and give hope to people in desperate situations".
Emily was first inspired to fundraise for the charity when she was just 10 and has already raised thousands of pounds to help them continue the work they do.
Community Fundraising Officer for ShelterBox, Hollie Clements, said: "Emily’s strength and courage to take on these huge fundraising challenges at such a young age to help people around the world that she has never met is incredibly heart-warming.
"Her first fundraising challenge for ShelterBox at the age of 10 was immense, and the Thames paddleboarding challenge is just as impressive.
"Emily will be starting her challenge at Lechlade on Saturday 13 August with the aim of finishing at Teddington Lock, and we'll be cheering her on all the way".
Emily, who is approaching taking her GCSEs, added that despite the pressure of exams, she wanted to do something to make a difference for for people who are not getting those opportunities.
She added: "If you live near the Thames, please feel free to give me a wave to help me keep paddling!”
More on Emily's challenge and a link to support her can be found on her JustGiving page.
You can also see more on the amazing work SheterBox do by visiting their website.