Sussex veterinary nurse’s year of fundraising nets £3,800 for charity

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
A caring veterinary nurse from West Sussex has completed a year of demanding challenges to raise money for a charity which supports people with their mental health.

Sarah Walker, who is surgical lead nurse at Anderson Abercromby Veterinary Referrals in Warnham, near Horsham, put her strength and stamina to the test to climb mountains, take part in a 10K run and complete a Tough Mudder obstacle course in support of mental health charity Mind.

Through her efforts she has raised £3,873 for Mind, which offers advice and support to people experiencing problems with their mental health. The total raised includes £616 contributed by VetPartners, the larger veterinary group that Anderson Abercromby is part of.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sarah, who has worked for Anderson Abercromby Veterinary Referrals, which specialises in orthopaedic surgery, for seven years said she wanted to take on new challenges to boost her own wellbeing while raising awareness of mental health issues.

Sarah also completed a 10K run in LondonSarah also completed a 10K run in London
Sarah also completed a 10K run in London

She kicked off her fundraising with the Saucony London 10K run, which takes competitors past some of the capital’s most iconic sights and completed in a time of 1hr 4mins.

Next came climbing Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), the highest mountain in Wales, and Hellvelyn, the third highest peak in the Lake District. She completed her series of fundraising challenges by taking on a Tough Mudder – an 8K endurance run that incorporated a series of 12 demanding obstacles.

Sarah completed all the challenges within seven months and also managed to fit in a 5K run organised by VetPartners in aid of StreetVet, a charity which provides care to the pets of people experiencing homelessness.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sarah said: “I think it is so important to help others and I do what I can for charity, including volunteering for Turning Tides, which helps homeless adults in West Sussex. Mind is also a charity very close to my heart so I decided to raise money for them this year and booked a place on a Tough Mudder.

Sarah Walker set herself a number of challenges to raise money for Mind, including climbing the mountain Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon)Sarah Walker set herself a number of challenges to raise money for Mind, including climbing the mountain Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon)
Sarah Walker set herself a number of challenges to raise money for Mind, including climbing the mountain Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon)

"To help build up my fitness and stamina for that challenge, and to help me raise as much money as possible, I then set myself a series of goals to aim for, including the 10K run and the mountain climbs.

“All of these activities took me well out of my comfort zone, but I was determined to conquer them. I didn’t make it easy for myself and climbing Hellvelyn was particularly memorable because I took the more difficult Striding Edge route to the summit, which involves clambering over rocks. It took over four hours but it was well worth the effort for the views at the top.

“My favourite thing was taking part in the Tough Mudder and it was exhilarating to have completed such a demanding physical test.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The challenges were an achievement in themselves, but the reason for doing them was to help raise awareness of mental health and to share the message that people should be kind to one another, and be kind to themselves. I also want to say to anyone who may be struggling with their mental health that they are not alone and there is hope, and there are many people out there who can help and support you, including the wonderful team at Mind.”

Anderson Abercromby Veterinary Referrals puts the care of pets, care of people and care of each other above all else. It is part of VetPartners, which owns some of the UK’s most respected and trust veterinary practices and associated animal healthcare businesses.

Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice