TWO sisters from Bournemouth are climbing the equivalent of the four peaks challenge at home as part of Tearfund’s ‘the climb’ challenge.

Emily and Anna Saunders, 21 and 19, are ascending their stairs 110 times a day for two weeks to help raise money for people living in poverty during the coronavirus outbreak.

After hearing of the potential devastation of the coronavirus in vulnerable communities across the world, Emily was challenged to take on the climb and got her sister Anna involved also.

Tearfund are concerned about these communities who have little infrastructure and resources to deal with coronavirus outbreaks. For example, Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh is the world’s largest refugee camp and so has limited handwashing facilities as well as cramped conditions.

Emily said: “Although much of our life has ended, stopped or slowed in lockdown, poverty hasn’t.

“The global experience of this pandemic is not being felt equally across the world and people are suffering due to their lack of access to safe sanitation and living conditions.

“I am very thankful for the fact that I am spending lockdown in a safe house, with my family, with easy access to food and washing and sanitation facilities.

“This is not the same reality for everybody and so I wanted to use this time to help Tearfund impact people who need it most at the moment, as well as raise awareness of the difficulties of people across the globe.”

Emily and Anna are aiming to raise as much money as possible, along with their other team members.

As part of the ‘emerging influencers’ programme that Emily is undertaking with Tearfund, the group of 50 young people have been challenged to raise £50,000 altogether which will provide 16,667 families with a month’s supply of hygiene products, as well 3,049 families with hygiene training and food support for three months.

To donate to Emily and Anna’s fundraiser, visit www.justgiving.com/team/reachforthestairs.