Littlehampton fundraiser sets 50 challenges for her 50th birthday
It's all to raise money for Chestnut Tree House children's hospice
A woman from Littlehampton is celebrating her 50th birthday in style, by taking on 50 challenges over the next year to raise money for Chestnut Tree House children's hospice.
Last year Nicky Clark celebrated her 49th birthday by baking cakes to raise money for the hospice. Thanks to her employers doubling her contribution she ended up raising ÂŁ500, but she wanted to raise more.
Fast forward to Nicky's 50th birthday and she'll be back to baking cakes, but has also taken on a 120ft abseil down Peacehaven's White Cliffs with plenty more challenges planned.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, Nicky said: "The first one (challenge) was easy, a no-brainer because of last year, to make 50 different cakes...and I thought if I got ÂŁ250 towards my ÂŁ1500 target that would be a great start".
When asked why she decided to raise the money for Chestnut Tree House, Nicky had a very personal answer.
She said: "I'm lucky enough to have two healthy sons that are grown up and I've got a granddaughter now of 7 months and they're all perfect. But when my son was at school, probably around 10 or 11, he had a friend...he was in a wheelchair and had a life-limiting disability. This place that I hadn't heard of before looked after him and his family and his mum raved about this place that did so many different activities and looked after them. It wasn't just nursing...it was time out for the families".
Nicky's initial target of ÂŁ1500 has already been beaten, much to her surprise.
She told us: "I thought ÂŁ1500 across the year would be achievable but I didn't expect it to go so well. I mean I'm half way to a days care, they need over ÂŁ6000 a day and if I could hit that, that would be amazing".
Nicky's fundraiser will run until her 51st birthday next year.