A 70-YEAR-OLD grandmother is not monkeying around - she's set herself the challenge of walking 500 miles to raise money for a popular Dorset attraction.

Lesley Dunn - who is walking the distance over a period of more than six months on her driveway outside her home in Essex - was inspired to raise money for Monkey World after being inspired by a TV show about the ape rescue centre.

The 500 miles she is walking is equivalent to the distance from her home in Upminster to Money World near Wool and back again - although she has mapped out a longer coastal route for the return journey.

Mrs Dunn said: “We adopted a chimpanzee named Bart last year after watching Monkey Life on TV and I was moved to support Monkey World after hearing about his diabetes and consequent daily injections, realising how much they cost.

“Now I have decided to take on the massive challenge of the Monkey World Walk, to raise money for this wonderful charity. I will walk daily, whatever the weather throws at me. All of the money Monkey World will receive will be used solely for the rescue and rehabilitation for primates in need and the care of monkeys and apes at the park.”

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Monkey World is a popular tourist attraction that houses over 250 rescued and endangered primates and features on its own TV show - Monkey Life - that documents the life of the world's largest monkey and ape rescue sanctuary.

Mrs Dunn walks 30 steps up and back for two to three miles each day on her driveway – whilst marking off her route on a map. She began on December 15.

She said: “I intend to ‘virtually’ walk through the London boroughs, then on through Surrey, Southampton and the New Forest on my way there and along the coastline of Hampshire, Sussex, Kent and Essex on the way back, ‘visiting’ places I like so I can imagine where I am.

“Last week I passed 10 Downing Street so my husband John set up a mock front door of the Prime Minister's house and took a photo of me."

She added: “When we first adopted Bart I made all my grandchildren a certificate and gave them a photo of him and promised to take them to see him as soon as we can. So far that hasn’t been possible but hopefully we will be able to go in the summer.”

Mrs Dunn has so far raised £325 for Monkey World - £75 over her original target of £250. She is now hoping to raise £500, which equates to £1 for every mile of the walk.

To support Mrs Dunn visit www.gofund.me/a5053e3f

 

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