Letchworth-based Garden House Hospice Care is looking for supporters to take part in a fundraising expedition to tropical south-east Asia.

Five supporters of the Gillison Close hospice will be taking part in a five-day trek through the jungles of Borneo in May 2018 – and there are still places available to join them.

Each person has committed to raising £3,800 towards the expedition, with the money going towards the hospice.

Senior healthcare assistant Gill Hughes is among those taking part in the trek – and she’s looking forward to travelling to Asia.

She said: “I know first hand what an amazing cause the hospice is, but for me it’s also about taking on a personal challenge and achieving something I can be really proud of.

“I have only ever travelled as far as Spain, so I can’t wait to experience somewhere new and see things I have never seen before.”

The expedition will take in 15,000 miles of the island’s landscape – including rice paddies, thick jungles and mountain paths, with a visit to the famous Sepilok orangutan sanctuary on the final day.

Each day will include six to eight hours of trekking in temperatures of up to 32°C, before the fundraisers rest their legs in jungle camps or village halls.

In addition, the group – also including hospice volunteer Sandra Duffy, fundraising chief Lisa Seccombe and supporters Clare Schulz and Des Waterfall – will learn about Borneo’s wildlife and nature, as well as vital jungle survival skills.

Des is a stalwart supporter of Garden House Hospice Care, whose staff cared for his wife Chris before she passed away in 2013.

He has already raised money for the hospice with a 7,000-mile road trip in Tajikistan and an eight-day trip from Vietnam to Cambodia last year, telling the Comet that he likes to show his gratitude.

“Chris was cared for by the hospices at home team,” he said.

“I take part in challenges like this to give something back and show my gratitude for the support we received.

“The fact it keeps my brain and my body active is just a bonus.”

To find out more about the expedition and how to sign up, call Katy Terry on 01462 679540 or email her at katy.terry@ghhospicecare.org.uk.