Sarah ‘hits the wall’ to raise £6k for Alzheimer’s

Our senior associate Sarah Dickinson braved extremes of temperature, thousands of steps and a debilitating chest infection – all to raise an incredible £6,210 for the Alzheimer’s Society by completing a trek on the Great Wall of China.

This is the first time that Sarah, an insulin-dependent diabetic whose late father suffered with Alzheimer’s, has embarked on such a venture. Sarah joined a 40-strong group in a six-day challenge to trek more than 110km of the Great Wall, from Huangyaguan Valley in the Yanshan Mountains towards Juyongguan.

Temperatures ranged from a chilly zero degrees at night in the mountains to over 20 degrees in the day, meaning a backpack filled with thermals and mittens alongside shorts and sunscreen! Aside from a chest infection in the final few days, Sarah only suffered one small blister and no complications from diabetes. She credits her fitness to ample preparation prior to the trip.

Sarah said: “It’s incredible to have raised so much for the Alzheimer’s Society, who gave my family invaluable support during my father’s struggle with the condition. People have been massively generous and their support, both financial and emotional, made the tough climbs and freezing nights much easier to endure.

 “The group were treated to spectacular views and amazing scenery, but also experienced the very humble conditions in which people live just a few hours from Beijing – relying on rainwater and basic foodstuffs to survive. It made us realise just how lucky we are.”

Thanks are also due to the Jones Myers team who threw themselves into the fund-raising efforts by supporting dress-down days, car boot sales and a particularly successful Chinese-themed banquet evening. If anyone would like to add to Sarah’s impressive fund-raising total please go to Sarah’s Just Giving Page or contact Sarah via Jones Myers on 0113 246 0055.

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