Shropshire wonder woman's next charity challenge
A tireless fundraiser is preparing to jet out to India and trek hundreds of miles across the country in a bid to help find a way to beat cancer.
Louise Jenks will fly out tomorrow along with 14 strangers also taking part in the 11-day challenge for Cancer Research UK. The group will trek more than 400 miles and finish at the Taj Mahal.
So far the 41-year-old, of Woodside, Telford, has managed to raise £7,500 in sponsorship, which is more than double of her original target.
Over the past 10 years Miss Jenks, who works at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital as a technician, has raised more than £70,000 for the charity through a series of fundraising events.
She said she is very excited to start the challenge.
"It's going to be tough," she said. "But I really can't wait to get started. I fly out to India tomorrow night, so I will get to watch Bonfire Night from the sky.
"It will also be the first time I meet the other people who are taking part in the challenge. They live all over the country, but we have been talking on Facebook – so it will be nice to finally meet them.
"Once we land in Delhi we will get ourselves settled in a hotel before we catch an overnight train to Pathankot.
"We will be transferred to Dharamsala, the home of the Dalai Lama, and from there will trek 40 miles to Kareri then make our way across India, before finishing at the Taj Mahal in Agra."
It is not the first time Miss Jenks has taken part in such a challenge. In fact this will be her seventh trek.
So far she has trekked across places such as the Grand Canyon twice, the Great Wall of China, the Sahara Desert, Vietnam and Machu Picchu.
She has also climbed Mount Everest and Mount Kilimanjaro.
To help her prepare Miss Jenks has been training at the gym and climbing The Wrekin once a week.
She said: "I know it's not a race the trek, but I have been pushing myself to climb The Wrekin as quick as I can.
"The fastest speed I completed the climb was 24 minutes.
"I have been training as much as possible, however when we get to India it'll be monsoon season.
"So I am sure it will be very challenging once we arrive.
"Although, that hasn't stopped me getting really excited about the whole thing."
Last month she held a ladies' night at the Buckatree Hall Hotel in Telford, which raised thousands for the charity.
