Cambridge Fundraiser Completes 150km Walk Challenge for Charity

Severica, a Client Services Manager at Bright Horizons, has walked 153km in total as part of her September walk challenge raising nearly £1,000 for the Bright Horizons Foundation for Children.

This is just one of her incredible challenges that she will be taking on. Severica aimed to walk 5km everyday in September to prepare for her mammoth climb up the second highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kenya, that she will be completing in January 2024 to raise money for the Foundation.

The funds raised will be used to create and renew Bright Spaces in Metropolitan Police child protection interview suites in its police stations. The aim is to raise £3,500, the approximate cost of equipping a room with age-appropriate toys and games, as well as calming features such as soft lighting and comfortable seating. Bright Spaces are specially designed to make children feel safe and comfortable, in order to help them give the best possible evidence against their abusers. The Bright Horizons Foundation for Children already has 11 Bright Spaces for the Metropolitan Police service in London.

Severica said: “I wanted to challenge myself and the thought of doing it for such a good cause has kept me going. It feels great knowing the money I raise from this means we’ll be able to create a safe and warm place where children who have experienced abuse and trauma can feel comfortable to give evidence. That’s why I chose to take on trekking up Mount Kenya in January to raise money for this amazing cause.

“It has been a difficult challenge to complete this month, but as a mother of three it has made me keener and more determined to support the Foundation and ensuring that all children have the best environment to give as much evidence as possible. There’s still a long way to go until my five-day trek up Mount Kenya, but I want to help the charity and raise as much money as I can so we can provide more Bright Spaces which can be of use to families who need it.”

The Bright Horizons Foundation for Children helps to create Bright Spaces, which are safe, warm, and nurturing play areas, specially designed to bring joy and a sense of normality to children facing extremely difficult situations. They can be found in domestic abuse refuges, homeless shelters, prisons, and police stations throughout the UK.

To donate to Severica’s challenge, you can visit her Just Giving page.