EMPLOYEES at an Ilkley-based company are set for a 13-mile ‘Mighty Hike’ across the Yorkshire Dales to raise £4,250 - the amount it costs to fund a local Macmillan Cancer Support speech and language therapist for one whole month.

Talk Straight, a communications and technology company based at Backstone Business Park, will see seven of its employees walk a half-marathon across the Yorkshire Dales all in the name of charity on Sunday, July 3rd.

The company’s employees nominated Macmillan Cancer Support as their chosen charity in early 2020, but initial fundraising efforts were stifled because of the first lockdown. Working from home prevented any fundraising and also training together was difficult.

But now the team of seven are to take to the hills in a bid to raise £4,250, the amount equivalent to the funding of the role of Speech and Language Therapist Jessica Wakeling, based at Airedale Hospital, for one whole month.

Sallie Bewell, Talk Straight’s People Manager, said: “Because of the pandemic everyone has been homeworking for the last two years, so we’ve struggled to get any momentum in our fundraising efforts. Not everyone who has entered is a regular walker so we organised a couple of training walks which were open to all employees, not just those taking part in the Mighty Hike. After a couple of years of very little face-to-face contact with our work colleagues, it was a great opportunity to socialise in a safe environment.”

Taking part in the route from Malham to Hebden are Alex Sykes, Lee Moores, Rachel Glover, Charlotte Thompson, April Middleton, Sallie Bewell and Sophie Bodenham.

Sallie added: “We are all really excited for the challenge and to help fund the wonderful work of Jessica Wakeling – who is invaluable in helping those who have been diagnosed with head and neck cancer to prepare for life-changing surgery and also provide practical emotional support around changes or loss of their speech.”

Speech and Language Therapy work closely with the Macmillan Cancer Nurse Specialists and Dietitians to support individuals prior to, during and after cancer treatment such as surgery or chemoradiotherapy. In addition to communication difficulties patients can often have swallowing difficulties due to their treatment. Often patients use feeding tubes to support their nutrition. Speech and Language Therapy assess their swallowing and provide support and rehabilitation exercises to help patients to swallow to the best of their ability.

Jessica and her colleagues will also be taking part in the Mighty Hike event in July to raise money and awareness for head and neck cancer.

Jessica said: “It means so much to me that the team have not only chosen to support Macmillan but have particularly chosen to support our head and neck cancer patients. By raising these funds, they will be providing many people with the support that they may need to get back to eating and drinking again or to come to terms with a new way of life. The impact that this will make to many patients is huge. I cannot thank them enough. I hope to see them all on the finish line!”

Macmillan Cancer Support’s Fundraising Manager, Becci Shanks, added: “We are so thrilled with everybody at Talk Straight to have been chosen as their nominated charity. What’s more, their determination and enthusiasm to fundraise despite the many obstacles and delays brought about because of restrictions relating to the pandemic is really humbling. Their target to fund a whole month of Macmillan nursing will make a huge difference in the local community to those living with cancer. We wish them all the best of luck!”

The team at Talk Straight can be supported at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/talkstraight