Travel agent on a journey to raise funds for local charity
Travel agent John Lehnert is embarking on a journey of a lifetime while raising much needed cash for a small charity close to home.
The independent travel expert, from Packmoor, is in training for a trek to the lost city of Teyuna, Colombia. John is seeking sponsorship for his epic journey to support Burslem-based charity Helping Angels. He has set a target of £2,500 and hopes to provide adults with special needs with a holiday of their own.
The marathon trek is being organised by Not Just Travel, a group of independent travel experts. John runs his own business under the NJT umbrella, giving him access to the UK’s largest independent travel buying group and back-office services for its network of travel agents. 57-year-old John has now begun a training regime to get in to shape for the five-day trek and he’s even given up his regular pint of beer at his local, the Dog and Partridge, Packmoor.
“I am not generally into exercise and my normal fitness regime involves a short walk with the family dog,” said John. “I have now begun to step up the walking and I have decided to give up beer and fast food for three months, as I want to shed a few pounds.”
John met Helping Angel’s founder Natasha Gratton at a business networking meeting and decided to give the charity his support.
“I wanted to focus on a small, local charity as I see this as the best way to make a difference and Helping Angels is firmly based in the community it serves,” explained John.
Helping Angels supports adults and children with learning difficulties and aims to provide people with a personal assistant at a reasonable cost, plus support for life skills, such as simply catching a bus or going to the shops.
“Many people will have heard about Machu Picchu, the lost city in Peru, which now attracts many tourists, but Teyuna is just as spectacular and more off the beaten track. Getting there involves a five-day trek through dense, humid jungle, finishing off with a 1,250-step climb to the summit.”
**John will depart for the trip on October 1 and the fundraising trek will begin on October 3 2019.
To support John, please visit his Just Giving page see www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/john-lehnert-njtcolumbiatrek
**John will also be hosting a fundraising evening for Helping Angels on Monday 9 September at the Arch Restaurant in Newcastle-under-Lyme. See Baba’s What’s ON for more information here. Tickets can be purchased via donating to the just giving site (see link above) or telephoning 07887 610491.
