A member of staff from London’s Mary Ward Centre is trekking to Everest in an effort to raise money for student bursaries to help people who can’t afford course fees.

With a fundraising target of £20,000, Sue Cragg, the head of adult and community education at the adult education college, will walk for 12 days to reach Everest’s base camp.

The centre runs classes in everything from ukelele and zumba to psychology and enamelling, with courses costing around £100.

“Working at the centre you see the difference that doing a course makes in people’s lives, particularly for those unable to afford the fee,” Ms Cragg said. “People gain more confidence and feel less isolated, and it’s getting people qualifications and back into work or into better jobs.”

Leaving for the expedition on November 2, Ms Cragg has been in training for the past year, taking yoga and strength and conditioning classes, walking five miles a day and going on training holidays to the French Alps and Italy.

She has already raised £330 of her target through an online fundraising page, which will be used to heavily subsidise or cover the cost of class fees for struggling students.

Feature picture: Craggs on a training climb in Italy’s Aosta Valley

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