A Penrhyncoch man has raised more than £4,000 for charity by trekking through Patagonia.

Eirian Reynolds would like to thank everyone who sponsored his trek and supported him on this “trip of a lifetime”. He set himself a target to raise £4,000 and he is delighted to have beaten that.

“A total of £4,298 was raised for Marie Curie Nurses and without the support of friends and acquaintances this would not have been possible,” he said.

End-of-life charity Marie Curie provides frontline nursing and hospice care, a free support line and information and support on all aspects of dying, death and bereavement.

Their nurses offer a service to families when a member has a terminal illness and the money raised by events like this ensures that the service remains free for the families in their time of need.

Eirian left Penrhyncoch on Friday, 4 November, to take part in the Marie Curie Welsh Patagonia Challenge, an 84km trek.

The retired 67-year-old had been training hard for the challenge, as he explained before setting off on the trek.

“Many people who know me will have seen me walking the roads and lanes around Penrhyncoch and Bow Street over the last few months,” he said. “This has been part of my preparation for the Marie Curie Trek Welsh Patagonia Challenge.”

The trek saw a group of Marie Curie supporters walk 84km in five days from Esquel in the foothills of the Andes, towards Trelew following the Tecka River. The trek ended in Nant y Fall.

The trek was originally scheduled for November 2021 but due to Covid restrictions, it finally took place from 5 to 15 November.