Great Yarmouth mum preparing for next fundraising challenge - after raising thousands in five year charity campaign

London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay making its way through Great Yarmouth.Torchbearer: Linda SedgwickPicture: James Bass (Image: Archant Norfolk Photographic © 2012)

Over the last five years she has donated thousands of pounds to various groups and pledged countless hours to good causes.

And after tackling the gruelling Great North Run and lacing up her trainers for Cancer Research's Relay For Life she is now preparing for her toughest challenge yet - climbing Africa's tallest mountain.

In February the mum of three is jetting to Tanzania to ascend Kilimanjaro's 5,895m peak and is now on a mission to raise £6,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Linda, 43, said she was 'apprehensively looking forward' to the trek, which she is embarking on with a team from Boots, where she used to work before opening a bathroom business with her brother Brian.

'The itinerary looks amazing. We're on the mountain for eight days climbing up and coming back down,' she added.

'You get to the summit when dawn breaks, it's quite emotional I think. It's my biggest challenge yet.'

Linda has long been involved with fundraising - while working at Boots she would help with its annual appeal for Children In Need - but stepped up her charity campaign after her mum and mother in law were diagnosed with breast cancer within two weeks of each other.

She decided she wanted to do something to support Cancer Research, signed up to do the 13.1 mile Great North Run and raised a whopping £3,000.

Since then she has taken part in the Relay For Life twice and last year she was recognised for her charitable efforts and carried the Olympic Torch through Yarmouth.

'That was an amazing experience, words can't describe what it was like to get off that bus with the torch,' she added.

Throughout the summer she used her torch to help raise even more money for charity, by taking it to various events and letting people have their picture taken with it in exchange for a donation.

The call from former colleagues to take part in the Kilimanjaro challenge came as she was setting up her business, Shoreline Bathrooms, and she is now juggling training with family life and work, as well as organising events to help her reach her target.

And her first fundraiser gets under way next month, when she hosts a charity night at Gorleston's Cliff Hotel. The evening will feature a disco, live band, a raffle and auction of a signed Manchester United shirt.

A night at Yarmouth Stadium and sponsored skate at Restroskate are planned later this year and she has more events in the pipeline.

But Linda is not fazed by the fundraising mission that lays ahead of her.

She said: 'When you're doing charity work it inspires you to do other things and you meet some fantastic people along the way.

'And it's lovely to have the ability to do it because it's not about time. I'd rather do this than go through what other people have had to go through, and that keeps you going.'

? The fundraiser at the Cliff Hotel is being held on May 11. Tickets at £5 are available from the hotel, Shake Rattle and Roll in Gorleston and Shoreline Bathrooms in Yarmouth.