Derbyshire police officer to tackle 268-mile Pennine Way trek in aid of Sepsis UK

PC Mick Hellewell will set off from The Old Nags Head pub in Edale on August 2, hoping to arrive in the Scottish border town of Kirk Yetholm around 16 days later.

The 55-year-old will be carrying everything he needs to complete the solitary trek and be camping along the trail most nights.

“I would hope the weather holds up but apparently there is a tradition that the Pennines are wet no matter what time of year it is, so I’m prepared for that,” said Mick.

The PC wants to raise at least £1,000 for the Sepsis Trust after he saw firsthand the devastating effects the life-threatening condition can have in 2018.

"In this day and age no one expects to die from blood poisoning,” said Mick.

"It’s a shocking fact that 48,000 people died due to sepsis last year, the majority of which could have been prevented by early intervention.

"A lot of the Covid-19 fatalities were caused through sepsis and the Sepsis Trust is assisting the survivors of coronavirus, who often require long term care and support.

"I didn’t even know what sepsis was until a few years ago, and now I am really quite passionate about the Sepsis Trust which is a fantastic charity.”

To donate to Mick’s Just Giving page, click here: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/michael-hellewell5

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