On the 15 September, twenty members of staff from Hiscox, including myself, will be taking part in a gruelling 4 day survival challenge on the Knoydart peninsula in North Scotland, described as ‘Britain’s last wilderness’.
The challenge begins with a fifteen hour train journey from London to Mallaig, at which point all home comforts will be left behind as we head into the wild for three nights of living off the land and tackling (at least) two of the Highlands’ Munros, mountains over 3,000 feet tall. At the end of an arduous day’s walk there will be no hot shower and pub waiting for us as we forage for food to eat before sleeping under the stars (whatever the weather), all in the company of Scotlands notorious midges. The end of the challenge, when energy levels will no doubt be low after days of eating only what’s available, will be marked by a trek across the mountainous peninsula before travelling back to London overnight in time to be at the desk for 08.00 Tuesday morning.
Tough as it may be, the challenge is nothing compared to the daily struggle of millions of people throughout the world who are not as fortunate as we are. Hiscox have for years supported HART (Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust) who work to relieve suffering for, and raise the profile of the most vulnerable people in troubled regions including Burma, East Timor, Nigeria, Sudan and Uganda. HART are a small charity who rely on volunteers to co-ordinate with the local populations who manage a wide range of projects themselves to best serve the needs of their communities. Any contribution is gratefully received by HART, and for an idea of how it will be put to good use, please visit their website at www.hart-uk.org
