Trekkers get ready to tackle Saharan sand dunes
45 intrepid trekkers are packing their final provisions and getting ready to head to the Sahara in aid of our hospice.
Our brave supporters will trek across Saharan sand dunes to raise money for local terminally ill people and towards the building of a new, larger hospice at Pease Pottage.
They will be split into two groups of 23 and 22 and will spend four days each trekking across ancient dried up river beds and vast sun-baked plains, and in the evenings will sleep under the stars.
Lucy Pitts and her 16-year-old daughter Greta are two trekkers who are ready and raring to go. Lucy said, “Over the years St Catherine’s has always been on my radar. I remember fundraising for it as a child and since then, I’ve known several people who’ve spent their last few weeks there.
I usually do at least one big fundraising event a year and when I heard about the trek I thought it sounded fabulous. Then my daughter said she wanted to sign up too. She was only 13 when we signed up and I had some reservations, but she’s done so well with her fundraising and training. It’s going to be an amazing experience for her. It’ll be her first trip outside of Europe and I can’t think of a better way to give her a rounded education.
I’m looking forward to most of the trip – sleeping in the desert, pushing myself, meeting new people and visiting Morocco. It’s going to be special watching my daughter experience all those things too.
Sometimes it’s hard to equate that what I, Greta and our fellow trekkers are doing will have a direct impact on other people, but we all know someone with cancer or another life-limiting illness and we’ve all experienced that helpless feeling of being unable to help. But, by doing something like this, we can and that’s good.”
The bespoke trek is the third overseas adventure that St Catherine’s has hosted, and the local charity is hoping to raise £135,000 through the incredible challenge.
Michaela Clements, our Fundraising Manager will be with the trekkers in the Sahara. She said: “We’re so grateful to our amazing trekkers for signing up to trek across the largest hot desert in the world. Their efforts will make a big difference to local terminally ill people and their families and will allow our hospice to help more people in the future. At the moment, we can only care for one in three people who need us. It’s vital that we keep raising money so we can care for everyone.
I can’t wait to conquer the Sahara with this amazing group.”
If you would like to support the Sahara trekkers, you can donate to their Just Giving page at: www.justgiving.com/campaign/stchsahara2020
Feeling inspired? To find out how you can take on your own challenge for our hospice visit our DIY fundraising page or call our friendly Fundraising team on 01293 447361.
