Alopecia UK Charity Stands to Benefit from British Skin Foundation Walk

Alopecia awareness charity, Alopecia UK is set to benefit from the final British Skin Foundation sponsored walk of 2011. The final “Walk for Skin” event is expected to raise thousands of pounds in sponsorship for charities campaigning on skin disease and related illnesses, including alopecia-related hair loss.

The South Downs Walk for Skin takes place on Saturday 24th September and represents the last such event in the 2011 fundraising calendar. Previous events throughout the year have taken place in London, Leeds and even the North Pennines.

Spectacular views for walkers

Depending on the experience of the walker, two routes have been created to challenge walkers taking part. The shorter route covers 8.5 miles (14km) and the longer 11.5 miles (17.7km), but both take in the same spectacular views. Both routes start and finish at the Museum in Amberley and are expected to take around seven hours (again depending on experience).

The walk takes in the ancient Roman Road, Slane Street, between Bignor Hall and Gumber Farm and reaches heights of up to 470 metres above sea level. At these heights, walkers can see for miles across the South Downs. Both routes also take in Houghton Forest and parts of the “Monarch Way”, historical for being the path used by Charles II as he escaped following the battle of Worcester in 1651.

The Amberley Museum which marks the start and end point of the walk is worth a visit alone. For the history buff, the museum offers displays about rural heritage whilst the chalk quarry outside the museum is a must-see for film fans, having featured in the Bond Film, ‘A View To A Kill’.

As with the other “Walk for Skin” events, funds raised through sponsorship of participants are shared with affiliate charities. All affiliates provide support and advice to people with various skin conditions including hair loss variants such as Alopecia Areata, Alopecia Totalis and Alopecia Universalis.

Alopecia is a rare hair loss condition which affects approximately 1.7% of the UK population. Alopecia UK provides advice and support to people experiencing hair loss and awareness-raising efforts to foster better understanding of the condition. Alopecia causes hair follicles to enter a dormant state, causing the hair to stop growing and eventually fall out. Currently experts are unsure as to what causes Alopecia although stress, new medications even pregnancy-related hormonal imbalances are all believed to be contributory factors.

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