Women take on Sahara Desert trek to raise funds for Bingham-based charity the Rosie May Foundation in memory of murdered Bottesford girl, 10

Thirteen women from all walks of life took part in a desert trek to raise thousands of pounds for a charity set up by bereaved parents.

The group climbed the highest dune in the Sahara Desert in North Africa to raise funds for the Rosie May Foundation - a charity set up in memory of Rosie May Storrie, from Bottesford. She was just 10-years-old when she was killed at a Christmas party in 2003.

The trek saw the hardy ladies walk for over seven hours a day in 38°C heat for five days, a total of 85km from the souks of Marrakech, over the Atlas Mountains, and up to the Northern Sahara, accompanied by an experienced desert guide and four camels.

The group has raised just over £30,000 and is hoping to reach its target of £32,000.

People interested in donating to the Rosie May Sahara Trek can do so through the JustGiving page.

Mary Storrie, 64, the founder of the Rosie May Foundation and Rosie May’s mother, said: “I did the same trek 13 years ago, and this time I found it a lot tougher in the extreme heat.

“We all supported each other to get through, and I am immensely proud of everyone.”

The 13 women said that camping in the desert was challenging as they only had water for drinking, not for washing themselves, and didn’t have the comfort of their own homes, which pushed them out of their comfort zones for a good cause.

Having endured the heat, a sandstorm, blisters, black toenails and two runaway camels, the group has managed to raise the most amount of money ever raised from a trek for the charity.

Lisa Smith, 58, of Southwell was one of the participants. She said: “Twelve years ago, my late sister-in-law Collette and my daughter Elle, trekked the Sahara Desert for this wonderful charity. My niece Izzy [Collette’s daughter] and I followed in their footsteps.

“We had the most incredible experience it was most definitely a challenge, but so uplifting.

“It’s amazing how Rosie May has bought so many people together, creating unforgettable friendships and helping so many.”

Izzy Short, 26, said that she had always wanted to do the trek as her mother, Collette, inspired her to do so after completing it with Izzy’s cousin, Eleanor Smith, in 2013.

She added: “This meant the world to me to be able to walk in their footsteps with my auntie, Lisa Smith and the rest of the amazing women whom we walked with.”

The foundation was created in January 2004 by Rosie May’s parents, Mary and Graham Storrie.

The Bingham-based charity, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, came in response to generous donations from the public and has grown ever since to support people and communities across the world.

Sarah Ballard, 37, the owner of the Bingham franchise of Newton Fallowell, has recently become a trustee of the Rosie May Foundation and was also one of those who took part in the trek.

She said: “A once-in-a-lifetime experience — gruelling but life-changing!

“To walk alongside 13 incredible women sums up the mantra of this amazing charity. I'm so proud and so grateful to have been a part of it.”

All the funds raised through the trek will go to support children and families in crisis, across the UK, Sri Lanka, and Nepal through sustainable projects created by the charity.

The Foundation’s work focuses on strengthening families to prevent abandonment, reunite siblings, and improving access to education and skills training for vulnerable children and women.

It aims to empower girls and women through projects focused on education, economic empowerment, and health.