A LEYBURN woman is playing her part in the fight against malnutrition by taking part in the Walk against Hunger challenge, covering 400 miles during Lent to raise charity funds.

As an 82-year-old who normally walks more than five miles every day, Helen Robson thought she could do better than the 5km challenge set by CAFOD, her church’s charity.

She decided to set herself a target of tenmiles every day during Lent, which means over the 40 days she would cover an incredible 400 miles.

Initially, Mrs Robson plans to visit the four churches in her Richmondshire parish beginning on Ash Wednesday. She will walk the two miles from home to St Peter and St Paul’s Church in Leyburn and following mass, walk home. After lunch the intrepid walker will do the six miles to St Simon and St Jude’s Church at Ulshaw which overlooks the picturesque River Cover.

The following day Mrs Robson will walk from Leyburn to St Joseph and Francis Xavier‘s Church in Richmond and the day after to St Mary’s at Wycliffe, thus completing visits to all four parish churches.

Other planned excursions are to Jervaulx Abbey, Thornton Steward, Bedale, Coverham Abbey and Middleham Gallops. Marrick Priory, Catterick Garrison and the villages throughout the district are all potential walks.

No stranger to challenging walking Mrs Robson previously walked to Ripon following the pilgrim route. However with possible poor weather at this time of year she discounted a repeat of this.

Mrs Robson said:“Malnourished children cannot take day off from their hunger because of bad weather; in fact it makes life much more difficult for them.

“With this in mind the least I can do is to challenge myself to walk the extra mile this Lent.”

She will be accompanied on her challenge by her faithful friend Dane, but hopes others may join her, or take up the challenge for themselves.

For details of the walk, or to donate visit https://walk.cafod.org.uk/fundraising/helen-robson-22