King’s Ely student’s ‘Two Point Six Challenge’ in aid of The DofE Award

King's Ely Sixth Form student Molly Whymark has raised almost £600 for a cause close to her heart by putting her best foot forward during lockdown.

Molly, 17, decided to complete a ‘Two Point Six Challenge’, not only to raise funds for The Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Award, but to also try and make the most of the lockdown restrictions, which, at the time, included only an hour of outdoor exercise each day.

The Two Point Six Challenge is a fundraising initiative spearheaded last month by the organisers of the London Marathon to raise funds for UK charities in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the huge number of fundraising events which have had to be cancelled.

Molly, who lives in Ely and who is a DofE Award Ambassador for Central England, decided to walk 2.6km every day for two weeks and six days. She completed her challenge on May 13th and, thanks to lots of generous donations, has raised £590 for the charity.

Speaking about her challenge, Molly said: “Walking for half an hour or so each day was not only great fun, but also a simple way to support a fantastic cause – my dogs enjoyed it too! I am so pleased with the amount I have raised; everyone has been so generous. With this money, The DofE Award will be able to support a further twenty Gold Awards.”

Molly added: “One statistic that stands out to me about The DofE Award is that out of the 280,000 participants each year, 68,000 of them come from disadvantaged backgrounds. It takes up to £29 to start someone’s DofE journey. I have learnt so much already and I am continuing to learn from taking part in The DofE Award. Even though my DofE journey is coming to an end shortly, I can’t wait to see more people starting their journey soon with everyone’s help.”

To sponsor Molly, please visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/molly-whymark

For more information about opportunities with The DofE Award, go to: www.dofe.org