A BASINGSTOKE dad is planning to trek around the epicentre of the earthquake in Nepal to raise money for two charities.

Tim Sanders was inspired to take part in the 100-mile walk after his son was in the country when the earthquake struck in April this year.

Thankfully, the 59-year-old’s son Jonathan was not injured by the natural disaster, but Tim hopes his efforts will support the two organisations working in the areas affected.

The father-of-three will trek around Dhading and Gorkha districts, where he will meet people in the villages affected by the quake, whilst raising funds for Practical Action and United Mission Nepal.

The town chaplain, from Ferguson Close, Cranbourne, flew out to Nepal on October 31 before commencing the two-week walk yesterday (Wednesday), being joined by his friends Jon Gregson and James Taylor.

He said: “We are trying to walk 100 miles, which means about six to seven miles each day.

“We want to interact with the villagers and will have a guide with us.”

Tim’s 29-year-old son was volunteering in a school when the quake hit, and ended up staying to help re-build schools devastated by the tremors, which reached 7.8 on the Richter scale.

In April Tim received a call from Jon Gregson, who was living in Nepal, alerting him to the massive earthquake and the widespread devastation and loss of life it had caused.

Tim, who has retired from his job with the Church Mission Society, said: “Our anxiety and adrenaline levels immediately hit sky high.

“At the time our son Jonny was living and working in Nepal at a school in a village 30 miles from the epicentre – was he okay?

“For the next four hours we tried desperately to make contact.

“We finally heard that he was safe and unharmed.

“But of course this is not the case for many thousands of people who lost their lives, family members, homes and livelihoods.

“This journey to Nepal in November visiting some of these affected communities particularly near the epicentre of the earthquake is not only a personal journey for me with poignant emotions, but is also a desire to raise awareness again for these devastated communities which have largely now been forgotten and out of the media attention.

“It is also an opportunity, in a practical way, to raise support for these communities through two specific organisations who are working hard to help transform and restore the livelihoods and well-being of people in this area.”

He added: “To visit Nepal and to make this journey with two friends, Jon and James, into the heartland of those impacted by the earthquake will be a physical and emotional challenge, but I hope rewarding too.”

  •  For more information visit http://nepalepicentre.org/.