A swimming teacher and personal trainer is taking on a climbing challenge for needy families in India.
Ellen Cooper, 41, of Marsh, will scale Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise cash for the charity Calcutta Rescue.
She has to raise a minimum of £3,900 to join the 11-day trip to the African summit.
Ellen, who works mainly out of Huddersfield Sports Centre, was inspired to help by her parents Mike and Jane Cooper.
The couple, both retired social workers, have twice gone out as volunteers to help Calcutta Rescue.
The charity was set up 30 years ago to tackle poverty and deprivation in Calcutta – now Kolkata – and parts of West Bengal. It provides free health care, education and training to needy communities.
“Calcutta Rescue does some really important work and there are some heartbreaking stories,” said Ellen.
“My mum went out to a leper colony and saw what life is like there. Money is desperately needed for medical care.
“A replacement heart valve costs around £150 but for an Indian family that is a year’s salary.”
Ellen, a keen walker who has scaled Yorkshire’s three peaks – Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-Ghent – three times, plans some altitude training and will climb Snowdon in North Wales as part of her preparation.
The Kilimanjaro trip takes place in February next year and Ellen has organised several fundraising events over the next few months.
On October 26 there will be a 12-hour marathon bike challenge on exercise bikes at Huddersfield Sports Centre and on November 3 a fundraiser is planned with entertainment at Huddersfield’s Methodist Mission. Tickets cost £5.
Ellen will embark on Yorkshire’s three peaks again next month and a gig with local band Loaded is to be arranged for January.
For more details on the fundraising events or to donate go to www.justgiving.com/Ellen-Cooper
