A Bridge of Allan great gran will mark her 84th birthday by cycling that amount of miles for charity.
Ellison Hudson is to cycle around Stirling University’s racetrack to raise money for Mary’s Meals.
She suffered a stroke two years ago and will complete the challenge on a tricycle.
Ellison, who has two great- grandchildren and 10 grandchildren, said this week: “Because my balance isn’t as good as it was, I bought myself a tricycle. It wasn’t as easy as you would think.
“I had to work at feeling confident on it.
“But I’m determined to do my best for such a good cause as Mary’s Meals and hope to play a part in helping them reach more hungry children.”
In 2018, the retired health and social worker set herself the challenge of cycling from Helensburgh to Dunbar over six days, starting Thursday May 19, and raising £1,353 for Mary’s Meals.
She hopes to beat that total by cycling up to 20 miles per day to reach 84 miles within a week.
Mary’s Meals serves nutritious school meals to children living in some of the world’s poorest countries. The promise of a good meal attracts them into the classroom, giving them the energy to learn and hope for a better future.
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Ellison commented: “I was once visiting my daughter in Malawi and happened to come across Mary’s Meals feeding children at school.
“The children were running about with their mugs full whilst the ladies were stirring big pots of porridge.
“It was a lovely experience and at that point, I knew I wanted to do something to help its work”.
The charity, founded in a shed in Argyll, reaches 2,279,941 children every school day in 20 countries, including Ethiopia, Yemen and Madagascar.
Head of grassroots engagement at Mary’s Meals, Emma Hutton said: “We serve Mary’s Meals in the world’s poorest, and often most difficult, locations because we know that’s where children need us the most.
“Today, we face some of our greatest challenges yet in a world devastated by conflict, food insecurity and the cost of living crisis. It is easy to feel hopeless when faced with so much suffering. But every single thing that people do for our mission makes an enormous difference to the children who eat Mary’s Meals.
“We wish Ellison the best of luck with her tricycling challenge, and a very happy 84th birthday.”
It costs just £15.90 to feed a child with Mary’s Meals for a full school year.
To find out more about the work of Mary’s Meals, or to get involved, please visit marysmeals.org.uk or @MarysMealsUKcharity on Facebook.
