Nichole Munro, CEO of Atomix Educational Trust takes up challenge for cause “very close to her heart”.
As we enjoy the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, people will be forgiven for relaxing with a chocolate egg or two while catching up with family and friends.
However, there will be no rest for Nichole Munro, CEO of the Atomix Educational Trust, as she begins her training for the charity challenge of a lifetime – walking a gruelling 200 miles along the Great Wall of China in October!
Nichole is taking on the challenge for Teesside autism and neurodiversity charity Daisy Chain – a cause which is close to her heart, as someone with close personal and professional links to people navigating the world with neurodiversity.
Daisy Chain is also Atomix’s chosen charity for 2026.
Atomix Educational Trust has more than 200 pupils at its two colleges, Primary School and pupil referral unit, with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) to enable them to access specialised support, many of whom are neurodiverse.
Speaking about why she “loves Daisy Chain” and is proud to support the charity in the name of Atomix, Nichole says: “The life-changing support that Daisy Chain provides to neurodivergent people matters to me personally and when I can’t help people through my role as CEO at Atomix, I really do try to help other causes.
“I love the fact that Daisy Chain provides safe spaces and so many activities which are a lifeline for many families across Teesside.
“It’s wonderful to see the difference support makes to people and I understand how life-changing it can be.”
Nichole added she feels humble to be supporting a charity that families rely on every day, some of whom may not have the resources to access support in any other way.
She also described the challenge itself as “exciting” – if a little daunting.
“It’s both exciting and slightly intimidating!” she says.
“The Great Wall of China can be seen from outer space and is 1,000 miles long – and I will be walking 200 miles of that, so I have got to get fit for it.
“It’s not the tourist’s route that we are taking, it will be steep and uneven terrain we are navigating over multiple days, in both humid and colder temperatures – but even so I said “yes” to the challenge because autism and neurodiversity is so close to my heart.”
Nichole says she is very conscious of not letting herself or the charity down, as she pushes herself very much out of her comfort zone on the walk.
The Atomix Educational Trust is aiming to raise £5,000 for Daisy Chain through Nichole’s walk – all of which will go directly to Daisy Chain for its programmes and facilities that support families and individuals.
She said: “Although £5,000 sounds like an awful lot of money, everyone can help by giving even a small amount, as all those little donations add up very quickly.
“I’m getting ready for this, as I don’t want to let myself down by being unable to complete the walk, so I’m going to start running again and to improve my fitness I’ve started to do Calisthenics for 15 minutes every day.
“There is a lot of effort that I’m going to have to put into this challenge throughout the summer!”
The Atomix Educational Trust is committed to supporting staff to complete up to three volunteering days a year – and charities like Daisy Chain and others that mean a lot to Atomix colleagues can really benefit hugely from this generous provision.
“Providing this amount of volunteering days is a huge commitment for a small Trust, but it’s something that we really believe in, as we recognise the difference our colleagues want to make in their local communities,” says Nichole.
“With more than 200 students with EHCPs within our Trust, with a mixture of neurodivergence and every kind of need that you can possibly imagine, we also live and breathe the sort of support other organisations like Daisy Chain provide every single day.
“As a Trust, we strive to enable everybody to achieve success – whatever that might look like to them – because success looks different to everybody.
“That’s why myself and my colleagues and students within the Trust are delighted to support Daisy Chain through this challenge – because what they do really resonates with us.”
Daisy Chain supports more than 8,000 autistic and neurodivergent individuals and their families across the Tees Valley every year through social clubs, respite care, wellbeing support, independent living skills, employability programmes, and animal therapy.
The charity’s Great Wall of China Charity Trek takes place in October this year, with many notable professionals and businesspeople across Teesside signed up to the challenge.
To boost Nichole’s training and support Atomix’s efforts for the charity, you can donate at https://daisychainsglobalstepschallenge.enthuse.com/pf/nichole-plummer