Devon Teenager takes on paddleboarding challenge for local charity
She's raising money for a Westcountry-based disaster relief charity
Emily Read from Devon is taking on a paddleboarding challenge this summer to raise money for a Westcountry-based disaster relief charity.
The 15-year-old will be paddleboarding 220km along the River Thames next month for ShelterBox, who are based in Cornwall and specialise in emergency shelter and providing essential items to those affected by conflict or disaster.
Emily, who lives in Exeter, 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 added: “I’m about to take my GCSEs and then thinking about A-levels, which will mean a lot of exams! But there are so many difficult things going on in the world that I wanted to do something to make a difference for people who aren’t getting those opportunities and are living in dire situations.
“I may not like exams, but world events have made me realise how much we take for granted and I really wanted to do something to help. One box might seem a small thing, but if it means a roof for your family, then that means a lot.
“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.