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Oxfordshire couple's hike through North America raises money for three causes

Aton Lazare The couple hikingAton Lazare
Sarah-Ellen Wooller and Richard Fletcher have been blogging about their hiking challenge

A couple is hiking 2,650 miles from Canada to Mexico to raise money for three causes.

Sarah-Ellen Wooller, from Witney, and her partner Richard Fletcher, from North Leigh, Oxfordshire, quit their jobs to hike the Pacific Crest Trail.

They aim to raise awareness and funds for multiple sclerosis, young carers and Ms Wooller's sister's medical treatment.

The couple still has 180 miles left to complete.

Sarah-Ellen Wooller Sarah-Ellen Wooller and her sister AmySarah-Ellen Wooller
Ms Wooller (left) aims to raise funds for her sister Amy's (right) MS treatment and bring awareness of how the disease affects lives

The trail is a continuous thru-hike spanning the entire length of Washington, Oregon and California before reaching the Mexican border.

Hazards along the way include avalanches, forests fires and venomous snakes, and The Pacific Crest Trail Association estimates that about 15% to 35% of the people who attempt to thru-hike it each year actually succeed.

To be able to enter the hike, Ms Wooller and Mr Fletcher gave up their jobs as a secondary school teacher and the head of surfacing at Williams F1.

"My sister Amy was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 36," Ms Wooller said.

"It has been heartbreaking to witness how [it] has changed her life, often preventing her from doing the things she loves and the things we all take for granted."

The couple now wants to raise awareness and funds for Amy's treatment, the MS Society and the young carers who attend Bartholomew School in Eynsham - Ms Wooller's previous place of work.

Richard Fletcher/Sarah Wooller The couple waiting to catch a flightRichard Fletcher/Sarah Wooller
The couple said their trail names were Yellowtail and Fletch

She added that her partner had been "the inspiration and driving force for this epic adventure", as he had previously completed a hike through the Appalachian Trail.

Ms Wooller said that so far, their many highlights include encountering six bears and a cub, swimming in glacier lakes and spending more time together.

"It's given me the time I needed to process and come to terms with my sister's diagnosis, turning it from a feeling of helplessness into something positive by doing this fundraising campaign," she added.

Richard Fletcher/Sarah Wooller The couple at Lions Den in Mazama not far from the starting point near the Canadian borderRichard Fletcher/Sarah Wooller
Ms Wooller said Mr Fletcher, who had previously completed a hike through the Appalachian Trail, had been "the inspiration and driving force" for the hike

The outcome of the challenge will be announced on the couple's blog, Fletch Lives On The Trail, on 23 December.

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