Samaritans volunteers join forces for fundraising effort

A GROUP of volunteers from Calderdale Samaritans are raising money for charity with an ‘80 days around the world’ event.

The fundraiser finishes on June 21, and involves 12 volunteers aiming to cover the Earth’s circumference in 80 days by rowing, running, walking and cycling a whopping 24.901 miles. All funds raised will be going to Halifax & Calderdale Samaritans, Overgate Hospice, Macmillan Cancer Support and Dementia Support.

One of the volunteers, Daniel Wilkinson, said: “We had a Samaritan

who had a heart condition, and after he got his heart transplant he sadly passed away. He was a big fundraiser for Overgate Hospice so we’re doing it in memory of him. We did a walk last year from Todmorden to Brighouse to raise money for another charity he was helping. We have a few volunteers who have parents that are suffering with dementia, and we lost another volunteer, who wasn’t with us very long, to cancer, plus I think there’s quite a few people there who know people with cancer or have had it in the past.”

Daniel added: “I was certainly glad 11 other people signed up to it, I would’ve been happier if there’d been 100! We’re just doing as much as we can and seeing how far we get.”

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/danielwilkinson29.