Jake Scott-Paul from Soopa Doopa Branding Ltd has raised more than £5,000 for a breast cancer charity by completing a gruelling trek across parts of the Great Wall of China. Jake, 34, took on a five-day 50km trek across the world’s most famous wall earlier this month with other fundraisers and members of the pop band Union J.

The challenge was backed by The Sun newspaper, which ran a competition for people to earn a place on the trek. Jake’s entry was chosen from hundreds of applications.

Jake, of Kings Avenue, has raised £5,100 in sponsorship for the breast cancer charity, CoppaFeel.

The group – made up of 24 people in total – raised nearly £70,000 for the charity by taking part.

Jake said: “We arrived at Heathrow as 24 strangers and left Beijing as one big family. The group bonded so well and Union J kept everyone going with their fantastic sense of humour. George, JJ and Jaymi were constantly at the centre of the group banter, bringing smiles to people when tears were close.

It was tough in parts as there was a lot of trekking up and down the side of mountains to gain access to the wall, and a lot of the wall we trekked was unrestored, so pretty dangerous in parts but everyone helped each other to reach the end which was emotional.

We came, we walked, we battled and we completed our challenge. We all hope the money we raised helps to save even one person’s life from this awful disease.”

Jake was inspired to apply for the challenge following the death of several family members, including grandparents, to cancer, and the tragic death of his brother, Joshua, in 2011.

Joshua was killed in a moped accident on the island of Koh Samui in Thailand.

As reported at the time, he was a medical student at the University of Notre Dame in Sydney and was also a volunteer with a charity dedicated to helping young people with disabilities.

Earlier that year, he was one of 24 people who walked the Simpson Desert, raising more than £1 million for young disabled people.

To sponsor Jake, visit greatwallcoppafeel.everydayhero.com/uk/jake.

 

Published on: November 3rd, 2015