Nichola Chegwin has returned from an extraordinary five-day trek across the Sahara Desert, raising more than £4,300 for St David’s Hospice.
The hospice, which supports adults and their families across Anglesey, Gwynedd and Conwy, needs £6 million a year to operate. With only 24% of that coming from the Welsh Government, fundraising efforts like Nichola’s play a vital role in keeping its services running.
The challenge involved covering 100km over four days, often trekking for six to ten hours at a time. Temperatures climbed to 35°C, and the route alternated between soft sand dunes, stony plateaus, volcanic rock, sandy stretches and long, exposed plains.
One of the moments that stayed with Nichola came on the third night, when the group camped at L’erg Zaher, home to some of the tallest dunes in the region. She climbed the highest dune to watch the sunset and returned again at dawn.
“The tranquillity and beauty of the dunes and the desert setting were, by far, my favourite moments,” she said.
The trek was far from easy. The heat, long days, and complete lack of shade were challenging enough, but by the third day the rocky terrain had begun to take a toll on her feet.
“I could feel every single stone,” she said. “The thought of putting my boots back on for the final day filled me with dread, but knowing it was the last push kept me going.”
Before signing up, Nichola hadn’t realised how heavily the hospice depends on fundraising.
“It’s given me perspective,” she said. “I’m proud to have helped raise awareness and funds, but it also shows how much more support our hospices need.”
Her original fundraising target was £1,600. She has now raised £4,353, a figure she describes as overwhelming and a testament to how widely valued the hospice is.
Nichola works as a Development Project Manager at North Wales Housing and held a cake sale at the office to raise money. She said:
“A big thanks to our local supermarkets for hosting bucket collections, Henllan Bakery and North Wales Housing colleagues for the amazing cakes, and Fron Goch Garden Centre for donating plants for the hospice summer sale. Every donation, big or small, kept me motivated!”.
Completing the trek has encouraged Nichola to take on more challenges. In 2026, she plans to complete the Three Peaks Challenge within 24 hours, and in 2028 she hopes to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
“Pushing past what I thought were my limits has given me a new sense of confidence,” she said. “I’d recommend anyone step outside their comfort zone and take on something that scares them a little.”
Anyone wishing to support Nichola and St David’s Hospice can do so via the link below.
