Angharad Evans, from School of Health and Related Research, braved walking over hot coals measuring a blistering 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, in Sheffield City Centre, as part of the annual Halloween ‘Fright Night.’
She completed the walk in front of hundreds of people, and hopes to raise £150 for the Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.
Bluebell Wood opened in July 2007 and cares for over 200 children with debilitating illnesses in the Yorkshire area.
It offers emergency and planned respite either at home, hospital, or in a ‘home from home’ setting at the hospice, and costs over £2.4million to run each year.
Evans said: "It was a really good experience to do something that pushed me out of my comfort zone whilst at the same time putting something back into the local community.
"Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice is an amazing place and I know the money raised will be used to make the quality of life of the children better. It will also give their parents some peace of mind too."
Greg Oldfield, Director of Fundraising at Bluebell Wood said : "We were delighted so many people took part in the Firewalk raising vital funds and awareness for Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.
"It is such a crucial time for people to support Bluebell Wood as we opened in September for overnight care, and we need to raise over £2.4million every year to run our service."
He added: "It is only with the generous support of people like Angharad that we can continue to support local children and their families."
Evans undertook this year’s Firewalk along with 15 others, including the Union activities officer Matt Fox and two other students from the University of Sheffield.
After receiving a two hour briefing beforehand, she completed the walk successfully, and even managed to complete another three rounds.
She said: "There was no hypnosis or anything like that to complete the Firewalk. It was all about having confidence in yourself that you could complete it, and making sure that your body was relaxed, and that you breathed correctly."
"In the end, the Firewalk went really well, with only one blister appearing! At some points I did question myself as to why the Firewalk was a good idea, but I’m really pleased that I completed it for such a deserving charity."
The art of firewalking dates back to 1200 BC. It is often considered a test of mental strength, and is used increasingly today as a way of raising money for charity.
Anyone wishing to sponsor Angharad to help reach her £150 target should contact her at: jpa05ace@sheffield.ac.uk.
Tom Hastings
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