Doing their bit for good causes

Two women from very different backgrounds are raising funds for charity. One is embarking on a 27-day trek while the other is jumping out of plane

The list of holy orders undertaken by nuns hard unlikely to include: jumping out of a plane.

But that is exactly what Sister Clare Bernadette Knowles will be doing on Saturday. The member of St Anne’s Convent in Sturry will be raising money for a homeless charity and hopes to raise £1,000.

To donate visit www. justgiving.com/fundraising/ Sisterclareknowles A young woman from Canterbury is determined to complete a 365-mile walk to raise money for a charity close to her heart.

Emily Little, of St Augustine’s Road, heads to Cornwall on Monday to take on the 27-day challenge for Spurgeons Children’s Charity.

Emily, who works as a teaching assistant at The Beacon School in Folkestone, has been busy training for the mammoth trek with her boyfriend James who will join her on the walk.

The 21-year-old was inspired to tackle the challenge after volunteering at the Invisible Walls project at HMP prison in Winchester.

The programme supports children affected by parental imprisonment and provides parenting guidance to prisoners and includes a homework club where they can help their children with school work.

Emily, who studied psychology at Winchester University said: “The charity means so much to me.

“Prisoners are thought of as an invisible group, they’re not getting the support they need.

“We don’t often hear about the work this charity does, it helps children spend time with their parents. It can be a really stressful experience and the charity and its volunteers tries to make people feel at ease.

“Half of them don’t even know that their father’s are in prison,” she added.

“Evidence shows their work is reducing re-offending rates.”

The trek will take them from Bude to Teignmouth along the South West Coastal Path which runs from Somerset’s Minehead to the shores of Poole Harbour in Dorset, the longest National Trail in the UK.

Emily and her boyfriend plan to walk between 11 and 19 miles per day.

Emily said: “Spurgeons Invisible Walls project is a really worthy cause. We must help these children and their parents. Please donate. Every child deserves to be able to maintain a relationship with their parent”.

To donate go to www. justgiving.com/fundraising/ Emily-edwards-little

Emily Little, from Canterbury, is taking on a 365-mile walk for Spurgeons Children’s Charity