A woman is preparing to spend a week trudging through a foreboding jungle to climb a holy mountain to raise money for sick children across the north of Scotland.
Toyah Flynn, 33, from Aberdeen, has already funded for her upcoming adventure to Borneo to climb Mount Kinabalu this November, but wanted her expedition to be more than just a personal journey.
The kind-hearted business manager for Specialist Cars Nissan on the city’s Wellington Road has decided to use the gruelling trek as an excuse to raise money for the ARCHIE Foundation, the official charity of the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital.
Ms Flynn said: “We’ve been told that it’s going to take about five to six days to complete, and we’re going to have to deal with seven to eight hours of walking a day.
“I do a lot of walking – last year I got involved with the Kilt Walk with the girls.
“So after doing those 26 miles and losing a number of toenails, and gaining 18 blisters because of it, I thought that obviously more walking would be a great idea.”
The lengthy quest to the top of the culturally hallowed Malaysian mountain will require Ms Flynn to climb to its summit, 13,428ft above sea level.
And although she has already spent much of this year fundraising and training for the challenge, Ms Flynn still needs to raise around £3,000 to hit her target of £5,000.
She added: My next big fundraising push is a race night at the Copthorne hotel on August 15, so it would be fantastic if people could come along and help me support ARCHIE.”
The charity provides support for sick children all across the north-east of Scotland, the Highlands, Orkney and Shetland, so the proceeds from Ms Flynn’s endeavour will be spread far and wide.
Cassie Thompson, fundraising director for the charity, said: “Many of Toyah’s colleagues and workmates at the John Clark Motor Group are undertaking challenges to help raise funds to transform the outpatient’s department at RACH through the ARCHIE Foundation’s High 10 appeal.
“We wish her every success on this incredible journey and encourage everyone to support her.”
To find out more about Ms Flynn’s cause and support the ARCHIE Foundation, visit www.justgiving.com/Toyah-Flynn