Will Hamilton-Davies, from Chew Stoke, is taking on the challenge of a lifetime to raise much-needed funds for Children’s Hospice South West, whom he has also supported in his capacity as a Children’s Author, hosting sessions with his book “The Shrew With The Flu”.

Children’s Hospice South West provide hospice care for children and young people living with life-limiting conditions. Hospice breaks, emergency care, palliative care and end of life care across three wonderful children’s hospices: Little Bridge House in Devon, Charlton Farm in Somerset and Little Harbour in Cornwall.

In a bid to raise as much money as possible, and challenge himself like never before, Will is taking on an Ultramarathon (50km), starting and finishing in Dare Valley Country Park, Wales, after just fifty days of training! The challenge is entirely off road, passing through woodlands, pastures, moorland and mountainsides with an elevation gain of 5,194 feet!

Explaining the challenge and why he wanted to undertake one as big as this, Will told The Gazette: “To be honest, hosting “The Shrew With The Flu” sessions with bereaved siblings and vulnerable children totally changed my perspective on Children’s Hospice South West. The care, the love, the overwhelming positivity and gratitude of familiar: despite being a lot to process as a twenty-something-year-old, it opened my eyes to an incredible community of people. Since then, I’ve always wanted to do something epic to raise money for CHSW.

“I wanted to wait until I was doing something undeniably challenging; something I couldn’t be sure I wouldn’t fail at; something I would rally behind if the (running) shoes were on someone else’s feet.

“I suppose, a bonkers challenge like this is strangely in character for someone that crowdfunded £3,000 and hand-sold 5,000 copies of their debut picture book (“The Shrew With The Flu”), after being told they had no chance of publishing a picture book without a platform or celebrity status.

“New mountain. Different challenge. Greater cause.”

Will’s Just Giving page explains a bit more: ‘As a young Children’s Author, supporting Children’s Hospice South West has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done, and introduced me to the warmest, kindest community of people. From fundraising cycles and wine-tasting events to “The Shrew With The Flu” draw-and-dance along sessions in Hidden Woods: we’ve collaborated on a lot of special projects.

‘But, if there’s one way to thank the nurses, families, and fundraisers at Children’s Hospice South West for everything they do, it’s got to be by smashing a challenge like this out the park. Bring. It. On.’

Will is hoping to raise £1,000 for Children’s Hospice South West. If you can help, or would like to find out more, visit his Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/willhdofficial-50days50k