Team trek Sahara raising funds

A team of fundraisers are counting down the weeks until they fly to Marrakech to begin their journey into the desert raising money for Age UK Plymouth, who support over 50s in the city with a range of free and subsidised services, activities and events.

With temperatures ranging from 25°C to 35°C during the day and dropping to around 0°C at night, the team, including a member of the charity’s Board of Trustees have their work cut out for them. They’ll be calling the world’s largest desert home for four days, sleeping under the stars between long, arid days crossing terrain of hard, flat sun-dried plains, ancient dried up river beds and wide sandy dune fields.

The intrepid adventure is all in aid of Age UK Plymouth who have had a bumper year supporting the city as they celebrated their 80th anniversary, opened a Short Term Care Centre in partnership with Plymouth City Council and LiveWell South West, launched Mount Gould’s specialist over 50s Wellbeing Hub and successfully secured £1.4 million of funding to Plymouth residents year to date.

When asked what motivates them, trek team member Bryony said, “When you read that Plymouth’s population of over 65s is set to increase by 1/3 in the next ten years, that’s 15,400 people, and that Plymouth is within the 20% most deprived districts in the country you get a sense of the urgency and size of the support that the charity is trying to provide.”

“The money donated through these fundraising activities is such an important part of what keeps charities like us going,” said Tara Dale, Head of Fundraising at Age UK Plymouth. “Unlike grants and money for specific projects, this ‘unrestricted funding’ allows us to take action on vital work with real urgency. Essentially it enables us to identify a problem or opportunity in the community and immediately start work on addressing it and putting solutions in place. Given the current social and economic climate, for some, the stakes have never been higher.”

The group have had the opportunity to get to know each other before they head off on their trip by organising training walks and their touring “In Store Sahara” which spent the day at trek supporter Cotswold Outdoors and is next due to visit HSBC on Cornwall Street on Saturday 4^th February.

“It’s tricky to train for the climate when we’re leaving the UK in March,” said trek member Lewis. “We agreed the best thing we can do is get used to walking long distances on consecutive days – that’s when it gets really uncomfortable. When we did our in-store trek at Cotswold, between the group, we did the whole distance twice in just the one day, we could definitely feel it the next morning!”

In total, the team are aiming to raise a minimum of £4,500 between them, and they’ve found various ways of bringing in the donations. Trekker Paul, a professional chef has been selling bacon sandwiches to staff in the offices where he works. “People have been really supportive,” said Paul. “I think a bacon sandwich on a Monday morning always goes down well!”

Lewis, a Banking Network Manager held a Bake it or Fake it event at work and several members of the team have been holding a monthly quiz at Age UK Plymouth’s Mount Gould head office which so far has raised £1,500. “The quizzes have been great fun,” said trekker Mike. “We’ve had a great turnout every time and everyone gets really involved. It’s not too competitive, just don’t mention the flags of the world round – it’s a sore subject!”

As there’s only a one hour time difference between the UK and the Sahara, the team are encouraging their friends, families and colleagues to join them by walking at home at the same times. Clean our Patch have also partnered with the team, who along with staff and volunteers from Age UK Plymouth will join some community litter picks before heading off and taking their litter picking into the desert making sure that as they camp and trek through the desert they only leave footprints behind.

Hospital Radio Plymouth have also been supporting the team and will be dedicating programmes to the team during the trek, packed with high energy, motivational tunes for the dunes.

Head over to Age UK Plymouth’s website to find out all about the Sahara Trek and their other upcoming Adventure Fundraising trips planned for 2024 including organised cycles from London to Paris and a trek to the ancient site of Petra in Jordan.

Sponsor the trek team either by visiting their fundraising pages via www.ageuk.org.uk/plymouth or by texting SAHARA 5 to 70580, texts will cost the donation amount of £5 plus one standard network rate message. You’ll be able to follow their progress on Age UK Plymouth’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

For more information about any of the work of Age UK Plymouth, please visit www.ageuk.org.uk/plymouth. To find out more about working in partnership with Age UK Plymouth or to talk about how your group or organisation can work with or support the charity please email enquiries@ageukplymouth.org.uk.