On 3rd May, four Wildheart employees and supporters will be taking on the Isle of Wight Ultra Challenge to raise funds for our rescue of Benji and Balu.
Our determined team consists of the Sanctuary’s CEO Lawrence, big cat carers Mary and Sandra, and Wildheart supporter Graeme. They will be taking on an epic 106km (65.8 mile) walk around the Island’s coastal path, starting and finishing in Chale. Along the way, they will encounter spectacular cliffs, beautiful countryside, and the familiar coastline of Sandown Bay, where our Sanctuary is located!
This is not the first daring adventure that Lawrence, Mary and Sandra have undertaken in aid of Benji and Balu: in June last year, they tackled the Three Peaks Challenge, climbing Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England, and Snowdon in Wales in just under twenty four hours! They were supported by Dan, a local businessman who gave up his time to transport the team between each mountain. The team raised an amazing £3,800 towards our fund to build a new bear habitat here at the Sanctuary.
When asked how they were preparing for the Ultra Challenge, Sandra had this to say: “Lots of walking and foot care, which sounds easy, but the reality of training for an endurance event like the Ultra Challenge is quite intense. I’ve been building up walking distances and that takes time and dedication, as well as mental strength – walking for hours alone can be really boring!”
“Our training walks range from 10 to 30 miles. One day, I spent 10 hours walking, and by the end I was sore, aching, tired and hungry. So, the prospect of walking for 25 to 30 hours is becoming very intimidating as the event gets closer. What will give us a massive boost is if people can continue to support us with sponsorship so that all of this effort is worthwhile for Benji and Balu.”
