THE manager of a Buckden residential home will fly to the other side of the world later this year to raise money for a cause very much closer to home.

THE manager of a Buckden residential home will fly to the other side of the world later this year to raise money for a cause very much closer to home.

Allison Axon, manager at the Hardwick Dene Residential Home for the Elderly, wants to make �3,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society by trekking 100km along one of the seven wonders of the world, the Great Wall of China.

The grandmother-of-ten, 53, is hoping to make strides towards her target by holding charity events in the next few months, helping to fund vital research into Alzheimer’s.

Allison starts her trek on October 7 and is determined to complete it after having seen in her work the effects of the condition.

“The Alzheimer’s Society is not one of the celebrity charities that gets a lot of attention. Some people just don’t want to think about it,” she said.

“It’s just such a devastating disease, not only for the sufferers but for their families too. It’s distressing for relatives to visit and not be recognised by their own mum or dad, or for them not to realise they have been visited at all.”

With people living longer and the elderly population steadily growing, research into Alzheimer’s is more vital than ever, said Allison.

She has been walking regularly and taking twice-weekly exercise classes to prepare herself for the six-day trek along the wall’s mountainous route.

“It’s been a huge change for me. I think you get to that stage of your life when you want to give something back,” she said.

“We’ll be walking for up to eight hours on some days, and I’ve already been warned about the second day, when we will walk the 200 steep steps up a section called Heaven’s Ladder.”

During the trek, Allison and her fellow walkers will bed down at hostels and army barracks, and even spend a night with a Chinese family.

She has paid for the whole trip herself, meaning that all money raised will go towards the work of the Alzheimer’s Society.

A fishing match at Graham’s Pond, Huntingdon, was held last week, and there will be a barbecue at Hardwick Dene on Sunday, May 29, from 2pm to 5pm. A live music night and disco, featuring band the Beautiful Sleazy, at St Neots Rugby Club has also been arranged for Saturday, June 4.

“My friends, family, work colleagues, the residents and their families, have all been brilliant, and have all helped me to prepare for the trip and the other events we have organised,” added Allison. “Now I only have to do the easy part and complete the trek.”

INFORMATION: Contact Allison at Hardwick Dene on 01480 811322 for details or visit www.justgiving.com/Allison-Axon to donate.