Intrepid man takes on the Great Wall of China in memory of his late wife

Peter Henry is tackling a section of the Great Wall of China as a tribute to Shirley Henry.

His trek will be in aid of Breast Cancer Care. Mrs Henry died from the condition on February 28. She was 63.

She had fought a long battle against the disease which had spread from her bones to her liver.

Mr Henry said: "Shirley did a lot of fundraising during her life. This seems a nice way of remembering her. It is the only time I have done anything like this and it will be good to do it in her memory.

"It's a very lonely period at the moment, as I am sure a lot of people will appreciate. Getting ready for the walk has given myself and my daughter something to focus on."

Mrs Henry was affectionately known as the 'Book Lady' because of the tens of thousands of paperbacks she sold for Fordwater Special School.

She raised about 34,000 by selling secondhand books for as little as 10p each during some 17 years.

This earned her the best volunteer title in the Observer community awards last December, in a category which has since been named after her, and a guest spot on Channel 4's Paul O'Grady Show.

The volunteer award has now been named after her.

Mr Henry, 62, of Addison Way, knew his wife for 46 years. He has described her as being very down-to-earth and embarrassed by any attention.

It was immediately after her death he came across a newspaper article about the Great Wall of China walk. He has pledged to raise at least 3,250 for Breast Cancer Care by mid-August to take his place on the manmade wonder two months later.

The walking will last for between five and eight hours a day for six days. He estimated he would be covering about ten miles a day.

Mr Henry is already being supported by Fordwater School and the Royal Oak pub in North Bersted. His daughter Kay, her husband Drew and their son Derrick are raising funds around their home in Northern Ireland.

Anyone who wants to back Mr Henry should go to www.justgiving.com/peter4shirley

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