TRAILWALKER 2008 - The final walk...

To the FINISH - 12.5km
"It's downhill all the way from here to the finish (or at least very little uphill). On a clear day, there will be good views of the headland, the steam rising from the Craters of the Moon and Mt Tauhara giving you a satisfying panorama of all the terrain you have covered. Halfway along, at Secombe Park, Four Mile Bay, there is a final aid station where you can meet up with your Support Crew if you feel the need to dress in style for the finish line! From here it is just a short 7km stretch beside the lake into town and to the Finish at the Great Lake Centre. We guarantee a Hero's Welcome from Oxfam, including a medal and certificate for all finishers and a Hero's reward for everyone who takes part."

The final stretch... we could hardly believe it! As we set off we were already patting ourselves on the back... congratulating one another for the fantastic teamwork... we all put in a great deal into our training and it had paid off.. we were here, still as a team of four heading towards that finish line! Whilst we were chatting and congratulating one another the sun slowly came up and brought back daylight! It was a relief to slowly start to feel warmth creeping into our bodies again. Down at the waterfront we were met by our support crew who all came wandering along to meet us and "walk" us along the lakeside to the finish! It was fantastic... Suddenly we were there... we had actually done it... Adam started playing our song "Stole My Car" and we got very excited... arm in arm carrying a banner our Support Crew made for us we crossed the finish line after 26 hours and 10mins of walking! Oh and we also learned we had actually walked 103.3km!
Its all a bit of a blur... we were welcomed by Oxfam volunteers with Medals and handshakes... Wow! The emotion we had was undescribable... a few tears of joy... a team hug... lots of photos... support crew hugs... more tears... lots of smiles...

WE DID IT TEAM! WE DID IT!!

WELL DONE TEAM
WELL DONE SUPPORT CREW

TRAILWALKER 2008 - Trudging on and on

to Checkpoint SEVEN 14.8km

"Climb up through pastureland to the highest point of the course and into pine plantation forest then head round the back of Mount Tauhara. Oxfam is grateful to Landcorp and local Iwi for granting Trailwalker participants special permission to go through this section.Many teams will get to watch the sun rising up behind Mount Tauhara (1068m). There will be an aid station halfway along this section, just in case you need to call for assistance.You will emerge close to State Highway 5 but follow Tuck's Track, an old bushman's trail through low lying bush to Checkpoint 7."

It was rough setting off and leaving the warmth of blankets and jackets behind. We were all struggling to get our minds into a good space... especially the girls who had done this section on the training weekend before and knew there was a bit of climbing ahead. By now nearly 2am we were all in pain and very tired, wishing for some sleep but knew it was only the "short amount" of less than 30km to go!! At this point Andre got a phonecall from the UK... which we all confess to listening in on... it was hearing Andre laugh and carry on walking that helped the rest of the group take the focus off themselves for a while... sorry for the listening in, but thank you for the phone call Elbert and Nick... you helped us all keep going!
Going through the farmland and up the hills took a lot out of all of us... but we did it. But there was still more... as we rounded Mount Tauhara all sorts of subjects were up for discussion... as distraction... anything and everything was discussed at great length! And finally we hit the Aid station... Yay! Half way! Moving a lot slower now we carried on still in darkness we passed along the DOC tracks we had picked berries along during our training weekend... and across more fields and styles before finally reaching the Underpass to the Highway. At this point after 4 hours of walking in the cold and dark, if we hadnt had the warmth of the tent to collapse in we would all have started feeling the effects of the cold very, very quickly. Support crew ever ready with Hot drinks of Milo and Tea... warm blankets... massages... the works... we were that weary we could barely decide what we wanted... We all definitely didnt want to leave the warmth of the tent at 6am... without our ever amazing Support Crew all pushing and encouraging us on we would NEVER have left! THANK YOU!

TRAILWALKER 2008 - Walking into Avrils Birthday!!

And CHECKPOINT SIX : The Gliding Club - 7.2km

"Hopefully the night is clear and you can follow this section of the trail in the moonlight! You return down to the Waikato River to follow more of the riverside trail. After a short stretch, you will then climb out of the river gorge and across some grasslands to Checkpoint 6. Most teams will be arriving here in the wee small hours of Sunday morning."

Leaving the last checkpoint around 11:30pm full of pancakes we knew it was just another short stretch to the next stop. We headed off along a trail in the bush and back across the Huka Falls... sounding immensely powerful in the darkness. It wasnt until we broke through to the open fields and grasslands that we got to fully appreciate the extent of the night sky with not a cloud in sight the stars were visible in all their glory... and appeared so much clearer in the absence of the moon! Half an hour into this stretch of darkness the team sang Happy Birthday to Avril... who at the time wasnt feeling very happy at all with sore feet... you did well to cheer her up guys and succeeded in getting her to forget about her feet for a while... whilst she remembered just how old she was starting to get?!! Good one!
This stretch seemed to take a little longer than the last... and when a taxi drove past more than one of us briefly contemplated trying to flag it down... certain it was somebodys idea of a cruel joke! But again we were greeted by our support crew before too long... only to find that a little party table had been set up... a VERY BIG THANK YOU from Avril to all of you for the effort you went to... She is sorry she wasnt as enthusiastic about the candles as she should have been!! The muffins, chocolate and fresh fruit were delicious!

(Note to the Oxfam Crew: It was an amazingly clear night- did you know it would be a New moon and not a Full moon?!... The stars were absolutely gorgeous, but the night light wasnt that bright!!)

TRAILWALKER 2008 - A burst of energy

... as we tried to race our Support Crew to CHECKPOINT FIVE : Hub Cafe - 7km!
"It's a short stretch downhill through pine forest at night to reach Checkpoint 5. Getting this far is an awesome achievement and it's all downhill from here..so to speak. At this point you will have completed all of the western loop of the trail and almost 3/4 of the whole course. It is definitely time for a break and we will be there to welcome you."
The dinner break beforehand definitely helped revive the energy levels, but also allowed a few of us to cool down rather a lot. It was a hard stretch to start, but somehow we powered through... partially trying to warm up in the beginning, but then just enjoying the momentum of moving forward. Before we knew it we were upon the "2km to go" sign and then the final 1km. Wow! That was quick... especially after the last walk... this seemed to give us a fresh burst of motivation... which was just what we needed!
We all had our own struggles during this walk... with it being well into our 15th hour of walking emotions were running high, tears were starting to be shed, exhaustion slowly creeping in, our muscles were being pushed to their limits.
Entering into Checkpoint Hawaii 5-0 was an interesting experience... bagpipes were being played and volunteers dressed in grass skirts were ensuring we checked in and crossed roads safely! And again our support crew pointed us in the right direction towards our stop... and even though it felt like we had only just had dinner we were tempted into more food and snacks by our ever amazing support crew. Delicious salty popcorn made by Gayle and fantastic pancakes with chocolate or lemon and sugar were served by Lorraine on demand... a very welcome treat! Thank you again SUPPORT CREW!

TRAILWALKER 2008 - The long walk

To CHECKPOINT FOUR : Oruanui Pony Club - 19.4km

"Many may find this the toughest stretch. You are past half way, heading uphill and into darkness, so take care not to let your motivation dip. The route consists of an ascent from the lake shore up through Blue Gum Eucalyptus trees and then down through agricultural land to the edge of Wairakei forest."

We started off slowly putting in a call to our support crew sooner than expected... Thank you to Matt and Trevor who came straight out to Ginas rescue with her needed joint drops... with aching hip joints it was best to get these on board sooner rather than later... especially since this stretch was going to be our longest yet. We carried on thereafter and slowly as painkillers and medications took away pain we started to increase our speed... getting to the Aid station halfway along was a definite motivator, as we all knew we had covered 50km and were now past the halfway mark!
After a toilet stop and a snack or two to munch on we continued, now starting to feel the chill as the sun slowly sank lower in the sky. Into the darkness we continued walking through farmland... a few more hills to climb and descend...
With the darkness all around and we all fell silent- it took all our concentration to focus on the ground and where to place our next step... trying to avoid cattle droppings... pine cones... tree roots... and clamber over fence styles and gates... It was all a lot less straight forward in the dark! Every now and then we would turn to look back... there were so many lights following in a line through the paddocks... the trailwalker ants were still marching on! Just as we started to get more weary we could see the lights of the next stop in the distance and the closer we got we could start to hear the loudspeaker and music... It was so close... but still seemed so far!
Well it wasnt easy, and it was a long way, but we made it... eventually! Its amazing to think back on this walk... we all were hitting a low points at some stage or other through this section, but somehow another member of the team always seemed to pull through and motivate the rest on. It was amazing team work TEAM!

At the end we were greeted again by our support crew never wavering in their waiting for our arrival... We were so lucky! With delicious Hot Soup made by Adam and Matts Tastey Pasta waiting for us along with warm jackets and blankets at our amazing tent it was truely a sight we were so very desperate to see... and experience! Without our support crew at this stop we definitely would not have had the energy to continue on... We were all more weary and demanding of you... THANK YOU for your patience!!... as well as your water refills, your food, your massages, your hugs, your physical support, your encouragement... and and everything else we took for granted!

TRAILWALKER 2008 - Still going strong...

Towards CHECKPOINT THREE : Kinloch - 11.1km or was it 14.4km??!


"Walk along Whakaipo Bay towards the foot of the peninsula to join the newly created track around the Kinloch peninsula enjoying sweeping views of the lake. You will emerge from the bush through a dry gully and onto the lake front for a final stretch through the marina and into Kinloch for a warm welcome at the community centre. It'll be about time for a BBQ on the beach, watching the sun set over Lake Taupo before tackling the next stretch."

We set off after our lunch break well fed and well rested. This stretch we knew was new to everyone! It started off with a gentle climb upwards... that just seemed to go on and on and on... It was a good climb up... along a fantastic track.... or so we thought until we hit the unformed bit!! Freshly graded the ground was still not fully compacted below our feet... making it feel soft and springy as we walked along. The whole way up and along the peninsula we kept getting clearings through which we got some amazing views out initially over the last Checkpoint near the lake, and then later on out over the Lake and Taupo in the distance. The walking pace was initially set by Gina~ incredible speed after having had her breakfast cereal for lunch she kept the rest of the team on their toes trying to keep up! But little did we know that this cracking speed would soon come to a grinding halt when we hit a 600m section of unformed track. With blue tape strung to trees to guide us along a track we soon found ourselves hanging onto trees and sliding on our bums, as we tried clambering along the narrow steep 'ups and downs' we suddenly encountered. It was an interesting but challenging change. Once we had survived this we were sure we would be just about at our next stop... but were soon told otherwise~ another 4km to go!! It seems this route was longer than originally advertised! All feeling a little despondent at this sudden and unexpected increase in distance we set off down the track. Fortunately a fantastic text message from Gayle one of our fantastic support crew came through shortly thereafter... would anyone like ice cream at the next stop?! Suddenly spirits were revived and the pace increased again... the promised ice creams were waiting and we just had to get to them!!
Once again we were greeted by our fantastic support crew on entry to the next stop... they kindly showed us where some flushing toilets were... despite breaking the rules we have to say... it was good to be able to sit on level ground for the toilet luxury
(Have you ever tried to sit in a Portaloo on sloping hills- it was something we seemed to know all about after the first 2 stops!)
And then it was time for the ice creams... how amazing they were... we were all thrilled with this! Thank you Support Crew! And what of the Checkpoint area in Kinloch?? Well from our support crew reports it was one of the most organised... and from Andres experience it was the best as you can see above... what more could you want? He was given a chair and newspaper by one of the volunteers whilst he waited for the girls to go toilet, and together with the ice cream from his support crew, he was set! (... if he could have given up his walking shoes here the girls rekon he would have!!)
Some time was spent at this stop with the help of the full support crew team helping with changing shoes, repairing feet, filling up water supplies, munching on chocolate biscuits (made by Finnuala and Gayle) and getting torches out... the next stretch was going to be a long one and would take us into the dark.

TRAILWALKER 2008 - Moving on...

TO CHECKPOINT TWO : Whakaipo Bay - 12.9km
"Head up towards a Scoria Quarry, passing through farmland up and over a ridge for your first dramatic view of Lake Taupo and, on a clear day, the Tongariro volcanoes in the background. Drop down to the lakeshore for lunch in the beautiful seclusion of Whakaipo Bay. Suggest your Support Crew organise the picnic!"

Heading off after the unexpected extended first stop we headed into the Quarry area. This we passed in through in a blur of heat... we were all starting warm up as the sun started to show itself... trying not to complain about the heat! Sun?! For most of you reading this you would be completely unaware of the forcasted weather for the weekend... we had earlier in the week checked the metservices forcast: Rain, Rain and MORE Rain! So NO! sunshine was definitely not expected, but it sure was a welcome surprise!
From the quarry out into the farmland and up the incredible hill...
...it looked impressive from the distance as we approached it... so many 'trailwalker ants' already making their way up...
... it looked impressive looking down from the top- fantastic views of the Lake and town and Mt Rhuapehu and Narahuhi peeking through the cloud below them in the distance... it looked impressive from below looking back 'at the ant trail' as we continued on our way into an amazing pine forest. It was impressive to be dare we say to be out of the sun but also very surprising to be walking on such soft ground... all the pine needles were layered thickly on the ground making it very springy and soft to walk over! Breaking out of the impressive pine forests we found we were already on the vibrant Checkpoint 2 run by the Girl Guides... with our huge support crew there waiting at the bottom of the hill cheering us on... WHAT AN AWESOME SIGHT!







This Checkpoint just has to get a special mention.. for all the welcoming praise and hard work all the girl guides must have done in preparing signs for EVERY team on the trail! As you can see from our team photo we were well pleased when we discovered your handywork!!

After our photo stop we were taken by our support crew via the toilets to our lunch stop... and what a welcome sight that was... chairs to rest on under Matts fantastic tent put up to shade us... and a table with so many choices of delicious food... quiche made by Finnuala or Lorraines pasta salad... crisps and chocolate biscuits... we truely were spoilt for choice! With our whole support crew in attendance we were well looked after with clothing and clean shoes and socks being found for us, water refills being done and food being served we barely had to ask before our littlest wish was granted! We truely did have the very BEST SUPPORT CREW for the day! It was tough tearing ourselves away from such good company and luxury... hence the photo moment as you cheered us on our way!

TRAILWALKER 2008 The First Stretch

START TO CHECKPOINT ONE: Wairakei South- 15.1km


"After a big send off on Saturday morning at Taupo's North Domain, you will follow the beautiful Waikato River to the dramatic Huka Falls. At the falls, the river, normally 100m wide is squeezed through a 20m gorge and over a 20m drop. Every second 250,000 cubic metres of water gushes through the chasm and shoots out over 8m beyond to create a beautiful blue green plunge pool. From here the trail heads up out of the river gorge and through Wairakei Forest to Craters of the Moon - a geothermal wonderland with bubbling craters, mud pools and steam vents."


After an early morning team meet up we all gathered under the start line to have a few photos...if we are completely honest we were all experiencing some nerves, some excitement and well tiredness too... it was afterall 7am!! With various support crew members in tow for moral support and to cheer us on we were already feeling very special but true to their promise Oxfam provided a send off for all walkers that our team certainly will never forget! With an official Maori blessing followed by the Hakka we were all suddenly moved to the verge of tears... all sorts of thoughts passed through our our heads: "this is all for us.." - "arent we special?!" - "Oh my...! What have we got ourselves into?" but before we could dwell on it for too long the final countdown started and we were off...!! Support crew cheering on from the sidelines we walked out into the darkness... the last 100 plus teams of 4 who hadnt started at 6am!

The early darkness soon disappeared and the sky colourings changed through a fantastic range of reds and oranges, after stopping traffic on the highway we were off- those we passed greeted us and kept wishing us well providing more motivation to us all, and even as they sipped coffee in their dressing gowns from their front decks I dont think any of us were wishing to be in their places at that time!! We were full of energy after our send off! We passed the Huka Falls and before we knew it we were going through the Crators of the Moon... all in the early morning light... the mist and steam creating a very tranquil scene but the sheer energy of all the groups around could be felt- it was amazing!


Suddenly the final stretch was before us, we could hear the loud speakers in the distance... could we already be approaching the first checkpoint?! Could it really have been that easy?
Welcomed in like heros already not only by our first lot of support crew Adam, Mark, and Finnuala (Grandad and Aiden hadnt quite made it out of bed by that time!) but by the children of Wairakei Primary School too, we lapped up the fantastic atmosphere! Support crew very organised with knowledge of where toilets were and where we were headed to next... taking charge of water top ups and snacks.. whilst we headed to the toilets.... where there were incredibly long queues...

(Tip to the Oxfam crew for next year: 5 toilets for 1000 walkers is definitely not enough... we got cold waiting over 15mins each in a very long queue!)

Oxfam Trailwalker 2008 ~THANK YOU SUPPORT CREW!

We did it! YAY! All 100km... or was it 103.3km?! Read on to hear all about it...! But not before reading this special Tribute to Our Incredible Support Crew without whom this event would have been impossible for us.

Each of the team have decided to write a little about their Support crew... just to let EVERYONE know how fantastic they have been.... and how incredible we think they are...
Just because a Thank you is written by one person... it doesnt mean the whole team are not grateful... WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL!

THANK YOU TREV (written by Gina)

• Thank you for taking time off work to support me.
• Thank you for doing all the driving. I learn something new every time I travel with you.
• Thank you for joining the team for the briefing and registration, and filling out the forms.
• Thank you for waking up at 5.45am on Saturday morning and getting me to the start line by 6.30am
• Thank you for organising all of my gear (clothes, shoes, mammoth first aid kit) and food at each of the check points.
• Thank you for all of the hugs at each of the check points, I could not have finished without them.
• Thank you for dashing out to meet me on the course with some medications
• Thank you for getting within close proximity to my smelly socks
• Thank you for your big warm puffy jacket at the last checkpoint - I needed it!
• Thank you for walking the last 7km to the finish line with me, it took my mind off the pain
• Thank you for staying awake from 5.30am on Saturday morning until 7pm on Sunday night.
• Thank you for paying for the accommodation
• Thank you for the millions of other things you did over the weekend to support Mariska, Avril, Andre and myself. Your help made it possible for us to finish.

THANK YOU ADAM... (written by Gina)

• Thank you for understanding that weekends weren’t actually weekends, but training walks
• Thank you for knowing when I was tired and grumpy and just needed to blob
• Thank you for being in Taupo to support me
• Thank you for buying dinner on Friday night
• Thank you for waking up at 5.45am on Saturday morning and being there at the start line
• Thank you for all of the hugs at each of the check points, I could not have finished without them.
• Thank you for trying to get my change of shoes to me after checkpoint 1
• Thank you for making me hot cups of soup and milo
• Thank you for the shoulder massages
• Thank you for dashing in and out of town on your scooter to pick up extra supplies.
• Thank you for keeping my nose warm J
• Thank you for walking the last 4km to the finish line with me, it took my mind off the pain
• Thank you for playing “Someone Stole My Car” as we walked to the finish line (and thank you for your perseverance it getting a copy of it)
• Thank you for the piggy back from the finish line to the car J
• Thank you for the millions of other things you did over the weekend to support Mariska, Avril, Andre and myself. Your help made it possible for us to finish.

THANK YOU MATT (written by Mariska)

I can’t thank you enough for supporting me and the ‘someone stole our car’- team: Avril, Gina and Andre, through the months of training leading up to April and through the actual event.

Leading up to the big walk you were there, giving up on your sleep in, to drop us off in the early morning hours for yet another training walk, picking us up again afterwards ensuring we were supplied with cold drinks and ice-creams. You were there waiting with home made pizza for us after 3 hour walks home from work. And you were still there when I returned after abandoning you weekend after weekend of training walks away from home. After every walk you were there with warm arms, hugs and rubs and listened to me complaining about blisters, sore muscles and dehydration headaches. Your help was crucial in the preparation of a fundraising bbq. And all of that before we started the actual 100 km walk!

Also a big thank you to you for drawing on your expertise and organizing our vehicle and the essential gear such as the easy-up, the chairs, the tables, water containers, a hot water container and lights; looking at some of the other teams sitting on tarpaulins on the ground we were very lucky. You loaded up the ute with all the gear, allowing for another support vehicle to travel down on the back, and drove us to Taupo after you finished night shoots. And of course very, very special thanks for rubbing my feet at every stop, the smell must have been overwhelming as the kilometers added up but you didn’t complain once!

THANK YOU LORRAINE (written by Andre)

You were an absolute star! You have supported us right through from start to finish. You were even there at Grey Lynn park festival where this madness all started! :-)
So we say thank you not only the pancakes, the pasta salad and the support you gave us on the Oxfam weekend, but it was also the support that you provided us right the way through. You have been there on most weekends, supporting us on our training walks - particularly the long ones. (The little red car at the end of the Tongoriro crossing, the pit stops in the Domain and at Onehunga on our Long Bay to Green Bay walk, the lunch stop and ultimately lift from the Eastern Bays walk are just a few examples.) All we can say, is that you are GREAT!


THANK YOU GRANDAD (written by Avril)
We all thought it was incredibly special to have you there at the event with us Granda... not just me. You flew all the way from Ireland at 90 years of age, and didnt even realise that if you arrived in time for the event you would be put to work! All your support and help with looking out for Aiden and loading up the car etc. was really appreciated! Thank you especially for your generous donation, your words of encouragement and for being there to welcome us in to Checkpoints 2 and 3... and of course the Finish.




THANK YOU MARK AND FINNUALA (written by Avril)
I dont really have enough words to express my gratitude to you both. You are the absolute best parents any daughter could wish for. Your support throughout my training and throughout this event has been amazing... Thank you. Every high and low point you heard about and listened to without complaint... and your encouragement and support has helped me more than you know... Thank you! Thank you too for all the food you fed us after long walks during training... the bbqs and salads... for always opening your home up to me, the team and even the rest of the support crew.
Thank you both also for all the driving, fetching and carrying you have done through training walk weekends and especially for the loan of the van for the big event, for driving and for the petrol donations you have given to getting the support crew and extra supplies we have needed between Checkpoints. Thank you for the teams Tshirts and your generous donation towards the Support Crew Tshirts. Thank you for sorting out the accommodation in Taupo... and paying for it! Thank you Mum for all the lovely quiches you have made over the months for training walks... and for the quiches made for the whole crew at our big event- delicious and much appreciated by all! Thank you for the scrumptious biscuits too! Thank you also Mum for your hours of hard work in the kitchen melting chocolate and making Easter Eggs... thanks to you we made hundreds of dollars for Oxfam... and more than reached our target. Thank you both for being there this weekend... for your hugs... your massages... your support(verbal and physical!)... your sorting through my gear and finding things for me when I was too tired... your being there at the start... your being there at every stop especially through the night! ... your being there at the finish!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!Thank you! Thank you!

THANK YOU MATT AND GAYLE... AND AIDEN!
(written by Avril)
You guys were the first to Sponsor us online~ without hesitation. You offered to be support crew way back in November~ without hesitation, even before you really knew what you might be asked to do! Thats brave... knowing you know me! Thats more than I could ever have hoped for and yet you did so much more!
You joined us on our massive training walk not long after you arrived in NZ... and despite blisters you were both there at the end walking out to meet us with your precious pineapple lumps to put smiles on our faces again and making sure we were well fed thereafter! Matt thanks for driving all the way from Wellington just for the weekend- having you there was really special- sorry if we werent all that chatty all the time! Between both of you, you managed to be there for every Checkpoint stop through the day and well into the night.. Thank you! You both provided words of encouragement and support before and during the event... and made sure I drank enough water... Thank you!!! Thank you for making biscuits and popcorn! Thank you for the water refills and food supplies... THANK YOU especially for the ICE CREAM that pulled us into Checkpoint 3! When I got tired later in the night, Gayle, you fetched/found my gear you gave me massages... Thank you! Thank you for taking photos... and for being there at the Finish! Thank you both for bringing Aiden... who provided a few laughs and kisses at stops... you are amazing to have supported us the way you did whilst keeping an eye on the little guy! Thank you also for the input into the Tshirts... you spent hours phoning around and visiting places... they looked fantastic... Thank you!

You have a support crew person here ANYTIME you need her!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS
Thoughout the lead up to the event we were bugging you all for sponsorship, bugging you all to buy chocolates, tuna and easter eggs, go on walks, attend bbqs... and you all did something! Not only that we have also been inundated with messages of support and encouragement. Your emails, text messages and phonecalls have all been very appreciated... Thank you from team Someone Stole our Car!

THANK YOU OXFAM
Thank you for putting on this amazing event. In the lead up we can all confess to have had moments of wishing we had never signed up, but now in the aftermath of it all we are buzzing. We are proud to have achieved what we have, and we thank you for giving us the opportunity to do so! We thank you also for your help via phone calls and emails... we know we asked you hundreds of questions... you always got back to us! Thank you for the training weekend and all the tips you sent out in the newsletter! We all confess to being surprised at how well the event was run on the weekend... Sorry... and THANK YOU for you efficiency!
THANK YOU from TEAM SOMEONE STOLE OUR CAR to all of you and the volunteers you recruited to make this event happen.

Night walking Cornwall Park ~ Tues 1st April

A last minute attempt by the team to fit in some night walking! We all headed to One Tree Hill Park after work on Tuesday to try out our torches and see how we would manage! It was probably a good idea for most as we tramped through fields... some more able to see what exactly we were stepping in than others... Andre learned the advantages of using new batteries... we think/hope! It was also a great opportunity to run through a few more last minute details that we didnt manage to discuss last week!