Imagine being dropped off in the middle of nowhere, with no shelter and only the clothes in your bag pack to keep you warm, made to fend for yourself for the next 36 hours. More than 20 fundraisers recently found themselves in this situation as they took on the latest challenge for LOROS, ‘Into The Wild’.
Kicking off last Friday, six teams were taken to a secret location and with just an hour to go before darkness fell, it was a race against time as they set to work on creating a fire and shelter to sleep under.
Among the teams were a group of LOROS nurses and healthcare assistants, who decided to step outside their comfort zone and swap the ward for the wild.
Healthcare Assistant Hollie Matthews, who was the youngest to take on the challenge said: “I was so worried about going into the wild but it was so much better than expected, it was great fun.
“I was taken completely outside of my comfort zone and I’m so proud of myself for completing the entire weekend.
“I would definitely do it again and I hope to encourage others to join me as well.”
Throughout the weekend, the teams were asked to complete challenges, such as archery and navigation tasks, which in turn earned them food rewards.
One of the challenges, for the more daring of the bunch, involved teams eating crickets, locusts and giant water bugs, which were likened to the taste of ‘really bad pork scratchings’ by some participants.
“The most challenging thing for me was eating rabbit because I’m so fussy when it comes to my food,” added 21-year-old Hollie.
“It’s definitely made me a lot more open-minded to trying new things.”
A mix of teams took part in the event, with Furnley House, Ocean King Ltd, Gowercroft Joinery, Carphone Warehouse among those who stepped up to the challenge.
Joining them on the Saturday night was legendary explorer and adventurer Ed Stafford, who met with participants and shared some of his own experiences from his Discovery Channel series.
“I’m really happy to have been a part of such a successful event and to be given the opportunity to pass on a few top tips for surviving in the wild to those taking part,” he said.
“It was clear that 'Into the Wild' for LOROS definitely pushed some of the participants to the limit, but it was great to be there to give as much experience-based advice as I could to help them have the best experience possible.
“Taking on a challenge like this is a really brave thing to do, especially for those who have very little survival skills and experience.
“Everyone who took part should be extremely proud of themselves, not only for completing the challenge but for raising money for a great cause too.”
If you missed out on the chance to take part in this year’s 'Into The Wild' but are interested in challenging yourself for LOROS then visit loros.co.uk/challenges to find the perfect event for you.
