Island resident Jonathan Hall is currently taking part in a walking challenge to raise money for a local charity.

He is hoping to raise funds for Southern Befrienders, the Manx charity that supports older, isolated and vulnerable people in the south of the island.

The charity provides older people with support in two ways: companionship by one-to-one befrienders who visit people in their own home, and in groups at their weekly social events.

People can choose to be befriended or attend their social events or do both, often accompanied by their volunteer befriender.

Volunteer befrienders visit the group’s members regularly, usually every week, for a chat and a cuppa or to go out and about – whatever the member and volunteer decide to do together.

They also enjoy doing activities together, like baking or gardening.

Mr Hall is a chairman on the charity’s board and is hoping to raise around £2,000 for the cause.

He is taking part in the famous Coast to Coast Walk, which follows the route devised by Alfred Wainwright in his 1973 book ‘A Coast to Coast Walk’.

He will be trekking 188 miles across the Lake District, Pennines, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors.

Mr Hall set off on Friday, April 1, and his challenge will take up to 14 days to complete.

It involves ascending a total of 29,135 feet over the distance – a fraction less than Everest.

Anyone interested in supporting Jonathan in his gruelling challenge can do so via the charity’s crowd funding page at https://www.goldengiving.com/fundraising/chairmanchallenge2022