Bourne care home worker treks the Great Wall of China and walks from London to Brighton in aid of the Matt Hampson Foundation

A woman whose life has been touched by disability has taken on two personal challenges to support those in need.

Within the space of just a few weeks Gosia Wilkie trekked the Great Wall of China and completed a 100km walk from London to Brighton.

Aside from challenging herself, Gosia wanted to raise money for the Matt Hampson Get Busy Living Foundation which supports people suffering from a serious sporting injury.

Gosia, a housekeeper at Wood Grange Care Home in Bourne, said: “My aunt was a quadriplegic but she never gave up and was an inspiration to me. I’ve always wanted to do something to help other people with spinal injuries while I can.”

In the past Gosia has taken part in marathons to raise money for charity and 13 years ago she took part in a trek to the base camp of Mount Everest. The day after she returned home, Gosia and her daughter were involved in a car accident which left her battling her own injuries.

She said: “We were lucky to be alive.

“After the accident people told me that I’d have to give up things like marathons. I struggled mentally and physically with balance problems and had to rebuild my strength, but I’m alive and I’ll always be grateful that it was nothing more serious.”

Gosia set up an online fundraising page ahead of her challenges but was reluctant to publicise it too much in case she let people down. “I doubted myself,” she said. “The Great Wall of China was tough and I didn’t realise I had a fear of heights until I was there. It was a challenge of physical and mental endurance.”

Gosia only had around 10 days to recover from the trek before she took on the London to Brighton challenge. She said: “During the night it was just me and a torch with some arrows to follow. It was tough but I just told myself that I’m so privileged to be able to do it. There are some people who can’t walk or even get up so it means a lot to me that I can.

“A lot of people who are close to me have suffered spinal injuries and I wanted to do something to help while I can.”

Anyone keen to sponsor Gosia can do so online at www.justgiving.com/page/gosiaandnicksgreatwalltrek

Donations will go to the Get Busy Living centre in Leicestershire to help people who have experienced a life-changing injury. The centre was established in 2018 by ex-England and Leicester Tigers rugby player Matt Hampson, from Cold Overton in Rutland.

He was paralysed by a sports injury in 2005.