Save the Children community fundraisers have challenged volunteers and supporters across the UK to 'Walk the World' to raise funds for children whose lives have been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic. The Esher and Community Branch has chosen to 'walk' to Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, a virtual distance of 6,046 miles that will be completed in walks and activities around Surrey and surrounding areas. We are planning walks and recording the miles covered for the next 2 months and we are hoping that you might support us. We are setting ourselves the target of raising £6,046 through this challenge.

The pandemic has had terrible consequences for very many people across the globe and we are seeing the reality of this every day in the media coverage of countries like India. Sadly, millions of families in India and many other countries, have no easy access to hospitals, ventilators or oxygen. For children, their futures are bleak, not only losing family members but with schools shut, general medical care restricted, many families are being driven further into poverty. Millions of children lack the support and protection they need to grow and learn, healthily and safely. Save the Children, at a time when community fundraising is particularly difficult, is needed more than ever to reach and help children and families through these difficult times and we will be so grateful for your support in helping us by supporting this fundraising initiative.

Our branch has chosen to walk to Cox's Bazar as, even before the terrible fire on March 22nd this year, it was often described as the worst place on Earth for a child. One million Rohingya refugees live in overcrowded settlements within the area, the world's largest refugee camp in a country where millions live below the poverty line and stunting due to malnutrition is the highest in the world. Within the camp, living conditions are terrible, there is little schooling and the risks of exploitation and abuse such as child labour and trafficking are extremely high. Save the Children has been working within the camp for some years helping and protecting children during the pandemic. They have built a new Covid isolation clinic and have local medical staff working to help and support victims of the virus and to provide as much public information and advice as possible. It is because of the extreme need in Cox's Bazar, that we as a committee have decided to make it our focus to encourage fundraising. However, the funds we raise are not restricted to this refugee camp alone, but will be used wherever they are most needed.