Kentish Express Ashford & District
Intrepid team will go through the pain barrier for good cause
HURT’S goalS
One member almost lost a finger and another was forced to face his lifelong fear of water but a team of 14 is now ready to take on the biggest challenge of their lives.
The Hamstreet Ultimate Road Trip, dubbed HURT because they know it’s going to, starts on Saturday and will see the group tackle three mountains, a trio of lakes and an 820-mile cycle ride over eight days in aid of the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance Trust.
But for some it seemed they might not make it to the start line in one piece let alone the finish as carpenter Steve Warnett corrhad an accident at work that almost resulted in a severed finger and Kevin Hughes has been scared of open water since being involved in a canoeing accident as a child.
Kevin, 43, whose canoe capsized on Lake Windermere, said: “Before I signed up to this I wasn’t able to swim the length of a swimming pool and I couldn’t even contemplate being in a lake.
“That was a massive fear for me. I’ve now swum in a lake four times but I still have a fear of being in the water.”
Speaking ahead of the trip, Spencer Goddard said: “One or two of us have made things a bit harder by nearly losing vital body parts yet have managed to get back on the road after giving bodies enough time to heal.
“It’s a combination of mickey taking, pride and unspoken support that helps people get through the most gruelling sessions. The HURT team has had professionals, fellow ama- teur enthusiasts and even dietary gurus turn up to our regular meetings and they have all offered their time for free, to give really useful advice.
“We have received tremendous support from lots of people but our HURT wives, partners, family and friends have been amazing.
“This is what staging a community event is all about, people coming together and making things happen.”
Sponsor the HURT team at www.justgiving.com/ Hamstreet3PeakChallenge, donate at The Cosy Kettle, McColls or The Duke’s Head in Hamstreet, or watch out for the group riding by with their collection buckets. Spencer Goddard, Andy Othen, Mark Taylor, Andy Stewart, Julius Samson, Steve Warnett, Alister Gilfillan, Andy Ansley, Kevin Hughes, Alan Evans, Huw Monkley, Tony Barfoot, Richard Bruce and Alistair Finlayson will climb Ben Nevis in Scotland, the UK’s tallest peak, before cycling to Loch Lomond, swimming the width of it, before riding to Scafell Pike in the Lake District, to climb that mountain.
They will then swim across Lake Windermere, ride to Wales, scale Snowdon, tackle Lake Bala and cycle back to Kent.
The group hopes to raise £25,000 to mark the air ambulance’s 25th anniversary and are already almost at the £22,000 mark.
Behind the scenes the HURT wives have been handling the fundraising, encouraging people to sponsor their partners and organising events such as cake sales, quizzes, bike washes, a golf day and a black tie ball.
The final event will be a welcome home party at Peas Lane, Hamstreet, from 3pm on Saturday, July 11 and everyone is welcome.