The fundraising team are colleagues (plus friends and family) from the Division of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Nottingham - colleagues who needed a challenge! On the 5th of May, the team completed the Lyke Wake Walk -  40 miles across the North York Moors in less than 24 hours... Their account of the walk is below!

The team are fundraising for a local charity whom the Division are partnering for some project work. The local group are part of the Teso Development Trust, a charity supporting long term recovery programmes in the Teso area of Uganda. The focus of the local ‘Ngora group’ is mother and baby, and they support a hospital and maternity unit in the Ngora region. They are a friendship group, principally of medical staff from hospitals in Nottingham, Leicester, Chesterfield and Sheffield. They have completed a fantastic amount of work in the region, including provision of essential equipment, ongoing work to improve facilities, and providing training and educational resources for local staff.

So why is the Division of Nutritional Sciences involved? Sarah McMullen has recently been welcomed on to the charity team (after a chance conversation at a village fundraising coffee morning!) to help integrate nutrition into the team’s activities through a partnership with the Division. The charity wish to extend their work from the hospital into the community and nutrition is a key factor relating to antenatal health. In July of this year, two final year Nutrition students in the Division, Gemma Baston and Charlotte Foster, will be joining members of the charity team on a trip to the Ngora region to assist with the development of the community programme. This will involve meeting local women and staff to discuss current issues, and helping to facilitate training sessions. This is a really exciting opportunity for Gemma, Charlotte and the Division, and we hope to make a real difference as part of the charity’s activities!

Both the TDT and the Division of Nutritional Sciences hugely appreciate the support given us for this wonderful cause.

'At 8.25pm we all gathered at the Lyke Wake Walk start stone, just outside Osmotherley, for the obligatory photos before setting off on our 40 mile trek.  Lulled into a false sense of security we started with a gentle stroll through the woods as the light began to fade.  However, the steep climb up Carlton Bank quickly brought us back to the reality of the challenge ahead.  By now the daylight was long gone, but by a fabulous stroke of luck we had chosen a night when there was a full moon and the sky was clear.  After our first meeting with our support party (with hot drinks and snacks) we ascended Drake Howe on Cringle Moor and realized that the temperature was starting to fall below freezing.  While only 4 miles this was probably the toughest part of the walk, and we were relieved to finally reach the steep descent to another rendezvous with the support party at Clay Bank.  It was then onwards, up onto Urra Moor and the highest point on the walk.  After the energy sapping climb we followed the path until we hit the old railway line where we picked up pace and we started to put the miles behind us.   With the moon on one side we started to see the beginnings of dawn on the other.  During our brief stops we realised how cold it was getting- particularly when reaching for drink bottles to find ice forming in them.  It was great to see the sun rise and be able to turn off the head torches and finally, hit the road at Ralphs Cross and the half-way point.  The next 5 miles were through Wheeldale Bog, - and it certainly lived up to its name.  For what seemed like endless hours we slowly picked a route through pools of standing water to finally arrive at the next check-point at Hamer.  Having thought we were leaving the bog behind us, we were a little demoralised to find the first part of the next section to be just as wet under foot.  However, with a growing feeling that we might be going to actually finish the walk we plodded on, heading for the strangely –shaped Fylingdales Early Warning Station in the distance (with those of us who are old enough to remember them, lamenting the loss of the ‘Golf Balls’).  For most of us the steep descent and ascent into and out of the Wheeldale Beck Ravine was a severe test of our weakening knees.  We Crossed the North York Moors Railway (having just missed the sight of a steam train passing) to the checkpoint at Eller Beck.  The next stretch took us along the perimeter of the RAF base and yet again we found ourselves bog hopping and experiencing hail/snow.   While supposedly only 4 miles, this leg certainly took its toll, with bogs and knee high heather on the ascent making walking very difficult and exhausting.   Eventually made it in and out of Jugger Howe ravine and arrived at the final checkpoint. It was then onwards to the radio mast which marked the end of the walk.  Finally reaching the end we assembled at the Lyke Wake Stone for lots of hugs, self-congratulations and even Champagne (well Cava).  In all 7 members of the Division (Andy, Nicky, Tim, Dave, Adrian, Bethen and Dan) and 3 friends/family (Rob, Caroline and Lizzie) completed the walk.  Special thanks to Tim for expert navigation throughout and acting as back-marker for most of the walk and providing much needed encouragement to anyone who was struggling. Terri, Kirsten and John did large parts of it and the real heroes- Paul, Teresa, Connie, Sylvia and Becky provided more food, drink and encouragement than we could have dreamed of.  Despite the freezing night temperatures, we felt that, by pure luck (considering the weather of the last couple of weeks) the clear skies, full moon and lack of rain (just one brief hail storm) made perfect walking conditions.'