Ann faces her fears in wild charity trek

3:49pm Monday 18th February 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

SHE'S only been on a plane twice in her life, she's scared of big animals, terrified of needles and doesn't like going anywhere new.

Despite all of that, Ann Coltman, of Little Dodden, Basildon, will be packing her bags and heading out to Africa in two weeks time for a 10 day trek across the wilderness.

She's putting her fears aside to raise money for St Luke's Hospice, Basildon, after they helped her cope with the death of her father last year.

Ann, who has made patchwork quilts for the past 20 years, would often make them for the hospice.

"I was delivering some quilts up there one day and was quite upset because my dad had just been taken into hospital. He had two lots of cancer and was seriously ill. They asked me what was wrong and when I told them they organised some counselling for me.

"That was in the November, he died in the January. They saw me for three months and got me through the worst of it. I couldn't fault them.

So this is my way of saying thank you."

Choosing to help out her local hospice is something she knows would have made her dad Ted proud. While he was still alive, he raised £10,000 to help build a hospice close to his home in the New Forest.

To secure her place on the trek Ann, 63, has had to raise £3,000. She's drawn on her craft skills to raise most of it, selling items at craft fairs and through patchwork shop Tylers Patch, at Wat Tylers Park, Pitsea, where she works.

Her final fundraising push is raffling off a handmade giant African patchwork quilt. On display at the shop, Ann is asking people to donate £1 for a patch on the quilt. This Friday she will raffle it off.

"It has been very difficult to raise that amount of money, but people have been fantastic," she says. "My nine-year-old granddaughter sold her dolls house in the shop and gave the money to my trek fund. That was a lovely gesture."

Working at Wat Tyler Park has meant Ann has the perfect training ground on her doorstep. Although a foot injury and illness hampered her progress for a while. She's also bought a treadmill to make sure she's as fit as she can be.

When she's in Africa, Ann and the rest of the fundraisers will be walking 20 kilometres a day.

"The walking doesn't worry me," says Ann. "It's the animals," she laughs. "I'm frightened of dogs so I don't know how I'll cope with anything bigger."

" Everything about this will be a challenge," she admits.

"The only time I've been on a plane was a visit to Port Elizabeth in the seventies and a trip to Ireland in 1994, so flying will be a challenge, having the injections will be a challenge because I have a terror of needles and I don't like going anywhere new," she smiles.

"But I know I'm doing it for a good reason. I know my dad is looking down on me and willing me on."

*Anyone wanting to donate to Ann's trek fund or buy a ticket for the raffle should visit Tylers Patch at Wat Tyler Park, Pitsea, from tomorrow until Friday. Or call the shop on 01268 581169.