CHIPPENHAM woman Liza Brooks has set herself the challenge of travelling to 34 countries in 28 days with her friend Dale Knaggs to raise money for a new neonatal intensive care unit in Bath.

She set off with her companion on July 29.

Miss Brooks, of St Peter’s Cottages, in Kington Langley has been raising money for The Forever Friends Appeal’s NICU Space to Grow campaign after her nephew was nursed to full health in the unit.

Her nephew Justin Clifford-Brooks was born weighing just 2lb 7oz in 2007, and she feels that if it wasn’t for the specialist care he received for the six weeks he was in the neonatal intensive care unit he would not be here today.

Miss Brooks said: “When the Nurse in the unit told me it costs around £1000 to care for just one baby for one day, I decided I wanted to give something back. I have been raising money ever since through different things from Car boot sales, to internet auctions. He is thriving now.”

The trip will see the friends travelling over 8000 miles, right around Europe, going as far North as Sweden and Finland and as far South as Turkey - spanning two continents in just a month.

After purchasing Miss Brooks’ parents old Ford Mondeo Estate the pair set off on July 29, their first stop being Amsterdam, from there they headed North before travelling South through Eastern Europe and on to Turkey. They expect to complete the challenge by the end of August.

Mr Knaggs, a carpenter from Chippenham, said: “The hardest part has been finding a company to insure us for all the countries we are going to, we’ve had the car checked and it seems to be mechanically sound for an old banger, so we are confident we will be able to complete the trip.”

The money will go towards the last £1.5million needed to fund a new, larger unit at the Royal United Hospital in Bath costing £6.1million in total.

If you would like to make a donation please visit www.justgiving.com/34countries28days and you can follow the pair’s progress at http://lizabrookstrue.travellerspoint.com/