A Swindon woman is embarking on an arduous trek of Iceland to raise money for the charity that helped her late friend.

Aurélie Soulier, 42, from Haydon Wick, has already flown out to the Nordic country in preparation for a three-day trek through the country's landscapes from March 16 to March 20.

So far she has raised £3,041 for the charity which has initially covered the £1495 cost of her journey, but all of the money raised will be donated to the Prospect Hospice as she will be personally donating this amount over the next year.

And she is doing it in memory of her friend and fellow hiker Judith Hall.

Aurélie said: "Judith is a source of inspiration for me.

"She had a passion for adventure, particularly hiking, and took many young people on expeditions for their Duke of Edinburgh awards.

"Before Judith passed away in December 2020, from a rare form of leukaemia, the Prospect Hospice provided incredible support to Judith and her family.

"Judith is loved and fondly remembered by her friends, and we had a walk in her memory, on Barbury Castle this January."

Swindon Advertiser: Aurélie SoulierAurélie Soulier (Image: Aurélie Soulier)

The Iceland Trek has been organised by the Prospect Hospice itself and Aurélie has shared a little bit about why this was the challenge she specifically wanted to take on.

"Iceland has always been a place of awe and wonder for me, with its stunning landscapes and rugged terrain," she said.

" But the real reason I'm taking on this challenge is that, after raising £1000 for the Prospect Hospice, walking 78 miles across Wiltshire in 3 days, also in Judith's memory in June 2022, I wanted to do more to support the amazing work the Prospect Hospice does and has done for Judith and her family and so many other families when they need it the most."

"When I heard that the Prospect Hospice was organising a Trek to Iceland, I immediately joined. I started training and walking long distances."

After signing up for the Trek, Aurélie completed Hadrian's Wall in 6 days and the Ridgeway in 6 days too.

She has covered about 750 miles (1200 km) to prepare with a lot of winter training alongside some of the group who will be accompanying her in Iceland.

"I also trained at the gym four times a week and joined the Slinn Allstars running club in January too, running Parkrun events most Saturdays since," she added.

"I'm looking forward to the adventure ahead and the opportunity to honour Judith's memory in this special way."