Caitlin Kilby-Williams, a 30-year-old, is walking 100 miles from Newport to Southampton in a bid to raise money for an eating disorder charity.

Caitlin, of Bassaleg, Newport, hopes to complete the walk in six days and to raise more than £3,000 for Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity.

She is pulling on her walking boots from Sunday, March 17 to 22, in support of her wife, Abi, who is in recovery from anorexia.

Last year, Abi was admitted to hospital 100 miles away in Southampton, as this was the closest available bed at the time.

Abi was discharged from hospital in November, and now Caitlin is hiking to raise awareness of the lack of hospital care for people with eating disorders in Wales.

Caitlin will be joined by about 25 family members and friends on the first day of her walk, and several people will keep her company throughout the following five days.

Caitlin said: "In the darkest times it can feel hopeless when the person you love has become so unwell. When Abi was referred for treatment in June 2023, we were told this could be anywhere in the UK, and the prospect of being so far apart was overwhelming.

"I visited pretty much every weekend when Abi was admitted to Southampton. One evening when I got back, there was a knock on the door from my next-door neighbour, who said he’d really like to give us 'anything that would help Abi'.

"It turned out to be a cheque for £500. When I spoke with Abi, we felt that this was an opportunity to turn something very difficult into something positive, that could maybe help others in the same boat.

"I was given 12 weeks of telephone support through Beat’s Nexus programme over the summer, and I can’t emphasise enough the difference it made.

"Not only did I have a space to talk openly, but I was also guided in the right direction in terms of how best to support Abi. Beat's services really do give an option for anyone - whether you are someone with an eating disorder or supporting someone you love.

"I can’t wait to get going on this challenge! Abi is doing well - it’s so good to have her back home and Aneurin Bevan Health Board community eating disorder team have been continuing to provide exceptional support.

"There’s a long journey ahead, but with support from local teams, the people we have around us and Beat, I really believe that the future is bright."

Jo Whitfield, Beat’s national lead for Wales, said: "We were incredibly moved to hear that Caitlin is taking on this impressive challenge, and we’re so pleased that Abi is now back home and doing well in her recovery.

"Supporting a loved one can feel so difficult, especially if they’re in hospital far away from home, and we can’t thank Caitlin enough for sharing her experiences and raising funds to help us support others in this situation.

"Earlier this year, the Welsh Government announced that eight eating disorder beds will be made available for adults in Wales, as part of their plans to improve eating disorder services across the country.

"While this is positive, treating eating disorders as soon as possible is critical and it’s really important that the Welsh Government also publishes a national plan with timescales to improve local eating disorder services. This will help ensure that people like Caitlin and Abi will always be able to access the support they deserve quickly, wherever they live."