An Ottery teenager has raised more than £1,000 for the people of Ukraine by completing a 126-mile coast-to-coast walk.
At the end of last month, Millie Argent-Wenz had just finished her GCSEs at The King's School and could have relaxed into her summer break. Instead, she decided to embark on The Two Moors Way trek across Devon to raise money for the International Rescue Committee’s humanitarian aid effort for the people affected by the war in Ukraine.
Millie undertook the walk with her father Rob, setting off from Wembury in south Devon on Friday, July 22, crossing Dartmoor and Exmoor, and finishing at Lynmouth on Wednesday 27. They carried all their own kit and camped out every night after walking around 20 miles each day.
Afterwards she said: “The walk was very difficult but the support I had from people around me made it feel so much more manageable.
“Last year I walked in the Scottish Highlands for three days and camped on the top of Ben Nevis - so I hoped I would be able to do this, although it was much, much further!
“I just wanted to help the young people of Ukraine who have lost things I couldn’t even imagine losing.”
Rob said: “I’m so incredibly proud of Millie, who showed such resilience and strength of character to keep going.
“Walking these distances day after day takes a huge amount of mental as well as physical strength, and she has both in spades. What an amazing young woman.
“Thanks to everyone who sponsored us and sent us such nice messages of support.”
Millie’s mother Alison said: “Rob and I are both ‘outdoorsy’ people and do a lot of walking, usually dragging our two children along. Millie also completed her Bronze Duke of Edinburgh expedition last year. She really wanted to take part in Ten Tors, but this wasn’t possible due to Covid. It’s a bit of a family tradition to do the Two Moors Way after GCSEs, as my son Freddie did it in 2019 with Rob, raising money for a children’s charity in India.”
To support Millie and Rob’s fundraising, visit their JustGiving page.
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