A SPONSORED slim to raise money for the Dr Hadwen Trust (DHT) will see a Bude woman aim to shed three stone in memory of her father.

Steph Jones-Giles lost her father, Phil Jones, to heart disease in April last year, aged 65, so hopes to raise as much money as she can, specifically for heart disease research through the charity.

The DHT is the UK’s leading medical research charity that funds and promotes the development of techniques to replace the use of animals in research. It has funded research into cancer, Alzheimer’s, asthma, kidney, heart and liver disease and diabetes, to name only a few.

Steph said: “I have supported the charity for many years because, alongside the ethical argument, if we truly want answers to human problems it makes sense to me to use our precious resources to fund innovative human-relevant research rather than animal-relevant research.

“We live in exciting times with regards to research methods and anyone interested to know more please visit drhadwentrust.org.”

Steph said it is going to be a real challenge but she thinks that raising money for the DHT will help her keep on-task.

She added: “I decided to do a sponsored slim this year as I need to lose weight and find it very difficult and so I figured going public and raising money for a cause I feel passionately about, would help focus the mind.

“I chose to ring-fence money for the DHT funded research into heart disease in memory of my wonderful father — he was a popular man who lived at Ceres Court and he was known for his good sense of humour, kindness and generosity.”

Her first weigh-in was on January 4 and she will find out if she achieves her goal of losing three-stone at her final weigh-in on December 5.

Steph has said herself, if she does not lose at least three, all bets are off and she will class it as a failure. In actual fact, she is hoping to lose closer to five-stone but has set three as her target to raise the money.

This is not the first time she has raised money for the DHT as well as other charities.

“Ten years ago I walked from Penzance to Falmouth for the DHT with two friends and we raised £2,500.

“Ironically, I was the weight then I would love to be down to at the end of this year — although that’ll mean knocking five-stone off!

“My partner and I owned G’s Café in Bude for five years and on each anniversary of our opening we held a fundraiser. We raised money through these for Children’s Hospice South West, Born To Be Wild, Bude Surf Life Saving Club and St Hilary Residential Home.”

Drawing on her previous fundraising exploits, Steph will hope to make the most of the scenic coastal area to help build up her fitness level enough to take up some of the offers she has had for help.

She said: “I really enjoyed the walking I did when training to do the sponsored walk in 2006. We have such a lovely, natural environment and I want to get out there and enjoy walking on the cliffs and along the canal again.

“I have had kind offers from Lisa Wood to try Zumba and from a friend at Fusion Gym to go and work out — I may well take them up on it when I’ve got my fitness up a little!”

She added: “I have been overwhelmed by the support so far. Some friends encouraged me to set up a Just Giving page and this already has £120 donated.

“I also have well over £100 already entered on sponsorship forms. As a foot health professional I see clients every six to eight weeks and so they are looking forward to watching my reduction in weight each time I see them.”

To keep up to date with Steph’s progress and to sponsor her, visit her Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/Steph-Jones-Giles.

— The Bude DHT group meets on the third Sunday of every month at 11am at Crooklets Beach Café — everyone who is interested is welcome. Call Steph on 07971454214 for more details.