Shropshire sisters, May and Bryony Clayton, are preparing to take on an extraordinary challenge, trekking the Great Wall of China in loving memory of their dad, to give back to the hospice that supported them at the hardest moment of their lives.

They will take part in the Great Wall of China Trek in May 2026, raising vital funds for Severn Hospice, where their dad, David Clayton, spent his final hours.

David passed away at Severn Hospice in Shrewsbury on 1 April 2022, aged 67, following a short illness with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. His family say he was cared for with exceptional kindness, compassion and dignity, surrounded by loved ones, something they will be eternally grateful for.

“This will be the first time we’ve jointly taken on such a big challenge,” May explains. “Dad once said to us, ‘you’ll be ok because you have each other’, and that’s something we’ve really held onto. We think he’d say we’re mad for taking this on, but he also used to say ‘life is not a dress rehearsal’. That’s what’s driving us.”

The trek is not only a physical challenge, but a deeply emotional one, a way of honouring David’s memory and recognising the care his family received. “He would have been our loudest cheerleader,” May says. “He’d want to know every detail of the trip, and we just know he’d be so proud of us.”

Severn Hospice supports families across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Mid Wales, from the moment they’re referred for as long as they need help. Its care is provided free to patients and families, but it relies heavily on donations to continue its work.

For every £1 donated, 84p is spent directly on care, with the remaining 16p used to generate further income. Last year alone, those individual donations enabled Severn Hospice to be there for 3,000 local families when it mattered most.

May and her family hope their Great Wall challenge will help ensure that level of care continues for others facing similar journeys.

“If anyone is able to donate, no matter how small, it really does make a difference,” May says. “It means other families can have the experience we did, at the time they need it most.”

Donations in support of May’s Great Wall of China Trek and Severn Hospice can be made via the hospice’s official fundraising channels, or by following this link justgiving.com.