Former Formby pub landlord set for Sahara trek

A Formby man whose seven-year-old cousin suffers from a rare genetic disorder will trek across the Sahara on a camel to help promote awareness of the condition.

Simon Cox, who helped run the award winning Freshfield pub in the village, will set out across the desert to help charity CAH IS US, which is based at Great Ormond Street hospital. Simon will brave searing heat, venomous snakes and exhaustion to help his cousin Reece, who suffers from congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Simon said: “The endocrine team at Great Ormond Street Hospital are working hard with patients and parents to improve the quality of care and services for all with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Reece has never let this disorder affect him. He’s the happiest little boy I know, and anything I can do to help Great Ormond Street keep important funds alive is of the upmost importance. And for those that know me, I’m not a very fit person, so this really is a big challenge for me to complete.”

Simon flies out to Marrakech in November, and will spend an expected five days covering around 120km of desert.

The message on Simon’s Just Giving page read: “I’m raising much needed funds for an umbrella charity of Great Ormond Street Hospital. CAH is a rare genetic disorder and the endocrine team at GOSH appreciate that patients and parents often feel alone in their journey in dealing with this complex disorder.”

Simon is well known in Formby due to the time he spent behind the bar at the Freshfield pub. The Formby man joined the pub in 2012, and worked hard to increase their selection of craft beers, and transformed the pub’s menu. The pub recently won a Southport and West Lancashire Camra award, and last year was named as one of the best real ale pub’s in the country.

To support Simon go to www.justgiving.com/Si-Cox

http://www.cahisus.co.uk/