A pair of fundraising friends are set to take part in a 80km trek along the Great Wall of China next month to support those affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

Sue Hutchinson, from Fairfield Park, and Baldock’s Lissa McGown have already smashed their initial target of £10,000 with a flurry of collections and fundraising events, including a dinner and dance at Letchworth’s Broadway Hotel.

And the intrepid pair have dubbed themselves ‘Team Trekspiration’ as they get set for next month’s six-day hike for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Sue, 48, said the trek had a special poignance for her because Alzheimer’s had affected two of her closest friends’ parents – both of whom have passed away since she signed up for the challenge.

“So many people are affected by this crippling disease,” said Sue.

“What motivated me to try and do something positive to raise awareness was hearing the heart-breaking stories of two of my closest friends.

“They both had parents suffering with Alzheimer’s when I registered for the trek. Sadly Beryl and Peter have both passed away since I started this journey so it makes it even more poignant.

“This disease takes away the lives of its sufferers while they are still living, and is so sad and devastating for those who love them.

“This will be a tough challenge for me, but it’s nothing compared to what those with dementia are going through every day.”

Lissa and Sue – whose fundraising activities included writing a rap – are set to fly out to Beijing on October 15.

The trek route includes the longest restored Great Wall segment at Huangyaguan, as well as the Juyongguan, Mutianyu, Simatei, Gubeikou and Jinshanling sections.

According to the Alzheimer’s Society, more than 850,000 people in the UK live with dementia.

Chief executive Jeremy Hughes said: “As a charity, we rely on the generosity of individuals like Susan and Lissa to help us continue our vital work.

“We hope people will back their efforts so we can continue leading the fight against dementia.”

To sponsor Sue and Lissa go to either justgiving.com/Sue-Hutch or justgiving.com/Lissa-Mcgown.