Muddy Archaeologist is set to become a dusty one!
ARCHAEOLOGIST and Birstwith-based author Gillian Hovell is heading to the desert to raise money for Classic FM's Music Makers.
Better known as the Muddy Archaeologist, Gillian is best recognised in Nidderdale as the co-leader of Dacre's Iron-Age dig.
Now the 48-year-old Birstwith mum has set herself a new mission, to raise 2,900 by the end of the year.
She is preparing to join Classic FM’s nine-day Charity Trek through the archaeology-strewn desert in Jordan to Petra next March, camping in the rocky wilderness.
She hopes to raise money for Classic FM's charity Music Makers, which provides live musictherapy and education projects.
"My own daughter benefited from something similar when she was five-years-old in Great Ormond Street Hospital," Gillian said.
"Believe me, they make a huge difference – they fund performances in therapy and care homes, provide bursaries for future talent, extra curricular workshops and instruments for primary schools and they bring music and very real therapy into folks’ lives and to the most disadvantaged children and adults.
"The mountains and plains of the hot and dusty desert will be another world and a very real physical challenge," she said.
"Normally I just walk our dog and visit archaeology sites - I’m hoping the amazing archaeology we’ll walk through will keep me going, with Petra as the carrot at the end of the stick!
“But that’s almost the easy bit – raising 2,900 is the target they’ve given me and I have to reach 725 by mid August."
She’s hoping the local community will support her, and will be fundraising at the Birstwith Show on July 31.
She has also pledged to give 1 to Music Makers for every copy sold of her book Visiting the Past, which is on sale at Birstwith Village Shop or through her website www.muddyarchaeologist.co.uk.
"This Muddy Archaeologist is going to become a hot and Dusty Archaeologist next March," she said.
"Please dig deep and give generously if you can, but even a few pounds will make a huge difference."
l For more information on sponsorship opportunities, or to help Gillian on her way, visit www.justgiving.com/GillianHovell
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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