A PRESTATYN mental health care worker and his childhood friend will make the Offa’s Dyke “challenge as difficult as possible” on behalf of charity MIND.

Charlie Roberts, a former Ysgol Eirias and St Brigid sixth form pupil, who works at Holland House in Denbigh will take on the 180 mile hike from Chepstow to Prestatyn on Friday May, 10 – with the added stipulation of carrying full kit for the entire journey and strictly no bed and breakfasts, hostels or hotels.

For the trip, Charlie will reunite with fellow former St Brigid’s classmate David Graham, who is returning home from Birmingham for the challenge that will see the pair walk from sunrise until sunset each day.

Charlie, 21, said: “One of the reasons the Offa’s Dyke trail is difficult is because it is 180 miles of Hills. On top of that, we have made this challenge as difficult as we could by only camping the stretch of the trail, and carrying all of our own kit along the way.

“I work in the mental health profession and part of my job is supporting people with their mental health. When experiencing poor mental health you can’t just hop off the path and give yourself a break, so for the duration of the trek we will be living with this challenge.”

While the pair first became friends through their shared loved of the great outdoors, neither has taken on such a distance in the past.

David, also 21 and currently a jazz student at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, said: “While I am a keen hiker, it's still super daunting -we'll have to cover at least 20 miles a day and I have never hiked this kind of distance before.

“I feel the most difficult part for me will be when we reach Llangollen. Then the scenery will start to feel familiar, but the finish line will be deceptively out of reach.

“On top of that, although we've spent a fair bit of time camping and bush crafting together, but eight days with just the two of us? The real test will be how sick of each other we are by the end of it.”

To support Charlie and David on their hike,

click here

.