Grandparents Margaret and Ronnie Halley took part in a five-day trek through the Himalayas last month to support the VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas).
Their adventures took them to the Ladakh area of India, where they overcame the effects of altit
ude to trek an average of five hours a day and camped in plummeting temperatures overnight.
Dalkeith WRI member Margaret (74), a former nursery nurse at Prestonfield Primary, and Ronnie (76), a retired maths and physics teacher from Boroughmuir High School, had prepared well for the challenge.
For the past nine months, the couple, who have five children and 12 grand-children, regularly walked the Pentland Hills to get in shape.
The pair also set out to India ahead of the start date to acclimatise and see some of the country.
The couple, both members of Buccleuch Bowling Club and Midlothian Indoor Bowling Club, have been keen supporters of VSO for many years.
When Ronnie retired from teaching, they dedicated a couple of years to teaching in Malawi for the charity and still keep in touch with former pupils.
As the Halleys self-funded their Himalayan experience, all the money they raise from the trek will go to VSO and so far more than £6500 has been collected thanks to support from family, friends and the pupils of Lasswade Primary and Dalkeith High Schools.
Full story in this week's Midlothian Advertiser - on sale now.
The full article contains 257 words and appears in Midlothian Advertiser newspaper.