A Somerset Royal Navy veteran and her daughter are taking on a 27km hiking challenge on the Jurassic Coast.
Maria Vaughan, 56, who lives in Templecombe, will tackle the trek on Saturday, August 15 alongside her daughter Jill.
The pair are raising funds for Help for Heroes, a charity supporting veterans and their families.
Ms Vaughan served for 23 years as a Royal Navy aero-engineer, working on helicopters and Harrier jets.
Her fiancé, Lt Cdr Martin 'Jack' London, was killed in a Sea Harrier accident during a training flight in December 2002.
She said: “After Jack’s death, I realised how important sport and physical fitness was to me – going to the gym, running and playing five-a-side football helped me to deal with the emotional stress.
"I’m still fairly active now, but I wanted to do something to push myself.
"I’d been talking about signing up for one of the Heroes Hikes for a long time, but it was a push from my mum that got me to complete the form.
"I’m excited and nervous at the same time, and I’m looking forward to talking to some like-minded people.
"I’ve met some inspirational people who have been able to achieve their goals thanks to Help for Heroes, and Jill and I want to help the charity continue with its work.
"I’m hoping the hike will motivate me to take part in similar events.”
Maria said she received first-class support from Royal Navy colleagues and family following her fiancé’s death.
That support, along with her determination, helped her continue her career until 2011.
Neither Maria nor her daughter has taken part in a hiking challenge before, with the route set to follow the Jurassic Coast.
Maria has encouraged donations through her JustGiving page, which can be found at justgiving.com/fundraising/jurassic-coast-h4h-trek.
Help for Heroes champions the Armed Forces community and helps people live well after service.
The charity assists veterans and families from all parts of the UK military, including regulars, reservists, and locally embedded civilians.
Remaining Heroes Hikes are scheduled for Dartmoor on Saturday, September 12, and the Lincolnshire Wolds on Saturday, September 26.
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