One of Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s own IT community support engineers, Andrew Harris, will be swapping the Tors of Dartmoor for the sand dunes of the Sahara when he takes on a charity challenge of a lifetime in aid of his local hospital this February.
Andrew, from Exeter, will be hoping to complete a 4-day trek across one of the planet’s largest deserts in support of the Royal Devon Hospitals Charity Children’s ED Appeal. He is raising money to help create a special area for children in the Emergency Department (ED) at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (RD&E).
Andrew said he will be forever grateful for the fantastic treatment his two sons received at the hospital but hopes his efforts will help boost a fundraising appeal to create a truly welcoming space for young hospital patients needing urgent medical care.
“The care at the RD&E was brilliant but the more we can do to help make hospital environments the best they can be for children and younger patients the better,” he said.
Andrew is self-funding the trip and has set his sights on a £2,500 fundraising target. He says he’s looking forward to the challenge on February 21-25 and has already been putting in the training miles on Dartmoor.
“I do a lot of hiking on Dartmoor but I’ve got to get back in the gym – I haven’t been for years!
“If friends or colleagues would like to support me, I’d really appreciate any donations on my fundraising page. Every penny will help us to create a dedicated children’s ED area at the RD&E, and mean that children needing emergency care will no longer have to sit alongside adults at what can be a scary and upsetting time for families.”
Debbie Allen, community fundraiser for the Royal Devon Hospitals Charity, said: “It’s always so inspiring to see hospital staff take on fundraising challenges like this in support of their local NHS.
“Andrew is certainly going over and above in aid of a cause very close to his heart and every penny he is able to raise will help us take a step closer to providing very special facilities at the RD&E for children and young people needing urgent medical care.”
You can sponsor Andrew here.
