If you see a panda and a sloth walking hand-in-hand along State Highway 1 between Christchurch and Dunedin - do not stop to pick them up.
It is not because they are dangerous.
Rather, it is executive assistant Sarah Walker (panda) and cleaner Mel Carter (sloth) who actually want to walk the entire 357km between the two cities on October 2-8, in panda and sloth costumes, to raise funds for Grow Dunedin’s mental health community and support groups.
Ms Walker said they had been friends since they met at the Salvation Army 24 years ago, and they wanted to do something together to support a community charity.
She hoped drivers would recognise them and give a friendly toot and not regard them as roadside pests like possums or rabbits.
"Hopefully ... they’ll recognise that we’re not road-kill."
Despite training for the marathon walk since March, she said sloth was a bit slower than panda.
"If I have to, I’ll chuck her on my back and we’ll go at it."
They planned to walk up to 11 hours each day, and would stay in a campervan each night.
Grow organiser Shirley Wilkins said she was surprised and delighted by the duo’s support.
"It’s praise-worthy — absolutely admirable. The pair have got such a ‘go do it, go get it’ attitude.
"They just contacted me out of the blue and said they’d like to do some fundraising for me.
"It helps us to reach those out there in mental distress."
The duo plan to finish in the Octagon on October 8.
