Fundraisers are going to hike more than 100 miles around the coastal path (Raad ny Foillan) to raise money to save lives in childbirth.

Starting on Sunday, May 5, the team from the Maternity Worldwide charity will be walking the whole circumference of the island, from Douglas via Castletown, Port Erin, Peel, Jurby, Ramsey and Laxey, finishing back at Douglas on Saturday, May 11.

Hikers will be travelling to the island from as far afield as Brighton, London and Germany to complete the walk and want people from the island to join them at the Ascot Hotel (5-8 Empire Terrace, Douglas,) at 2pm on Saturday, May 11, to celebrate the end of their adventure with a photo opportunity and chance to talk with the participants.

All the money raised by this challenge will go towards ensuring women in Ethiopia, Malawi and Uganda have the maternity care they need.

Every day across the world 800 women die in pregnancy or childbirth. Many young children also die following the death of their mother.

Most of these lives could be saved by relatively simple, inexpensive measures. Using a sustainable, integrated approach, the Maternity Worldwide works to save lives in childbirth by:

â?¢Training and employing midwives to provide safe births, now and in the future

â?¢Improving access to clinicians and hospitals, with rural health centres and motorbike ambulances

â?¢Enabling women to earn their own money, by running income generation schemes

â?¢Providing maternal health sessions for communities so they’re able to look for risks associated with pregnancy and seek medical help early

Maternity Worldwide chairman Dr Adrian Brown said: ’More than 100 miles in seven days is an incredible challenge but the dramatic setting of the Isle of Man will make this a spectacular adventure.

’Our walking team have shown amazing commitment in training and fundraising, and I’m excited to be joining them for a week in such a stunning location.

’It’s not often you get the chance to walk completely around a nation in a week and everyone has been so helpful and welcoming that I’m sure it’s going to be a fantastic experience.

’On average it costs just £15 to provide a safe birth for a mother at a health centre or hospital, so the money raised will make a real difference to the lives of women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in the areas of Malawi recently so badly affected by Cyclone Idai.’

The ’Man For Women’ challenge has already raised more than £1,300 with many more donations expected

All participants are 100% self-funded ensuring that every penny of sponsorship goes directly to the women and babies who will benefit from Maternity Worldwide’s work.

To find out more about Maternity Worldwide’s projects, visit https://www.maternityworldwide.org/