Hiking 192 miles in 14 days is a tough challenge. Now imagine doing it with a cello on your back. We’re exhausted just thinking about it. But that’s what the inspiring (or should that be crazy?) trio known as the extreme cellists are doing this summer, when they tackle the coast to coast walk across northern England.
It sounds like a sweaty affair to us, but Clare Wallace, James Rees and Jeremy Dawson are keeping things civilised – they are stopping a few times a day to set down their cellos and perform.
The extreme cellists are raising funds for Aspire, the charity that helps rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injuries which the trio has supported in the past, and PACT (Parents Association of Children with Tumours and Leukaemia), a Sheffield-based charity that provides a range of support services for families whose children have been diagnosed with cancer.
“It’s great to have the extreme cellists fundraising for Aspire, with another amazing challenge,” Andrew Ogierman, community and events fundraiser at Aspire tells us. “They bring such energy as well as something truly unique to their fundraising and we feel very honoured to have their support.”
Beryl Welburn, PACT co-ordinator says: “We are thrilled that the extreme cellists are raising money for our charity and we wish them good luck and good weather with their walk and performances. It is fantastic that they are doing this to help us support the families of children who are going through such a difficult time. The money raised will be used to pay for our annual trip and for the Christmas party both of which give the children and families a real boost.”
The cellists have already achieved some pretty incredible feats. Last year they raised more than £5,500 through the Four Peaks Challenge, climbing the highest mountains in Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland with cellos – and of course performing on the top of each.
They’ve also tackled a 45 mile walk in a single day, played on the roofs of all 42 Anglican Cathedrals in England in just 12 days, performed at each of the streets on the Monopoly board in one day, and lugged the instruments 13 miles for the Sheffield half marathon.
The cellists will begin the coast to coast trek on Saturday 24th July at St Bees in Cumbria and finish at Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire on Friday 6th August.
Show your support by sponsoring them on their JustGiving page for Aspire or PACT.
Have you got any extreme fundraising stories? Let us know by leaving us a comment below.
Tags: Charities, coast to coast walk, Community, extreme cellists, Fundraising