Sahara trek for air ambulance

Kate Ireland is to take on the challenge in the hopes of raising money for Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance.

The 24-year-old will join 25 others from the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire areas to tackle the five-day trek across the vast African desert– sleeping under the stars in makeshift camps along with way.

“My family thinks I’m crazy,” admits Kate. “But they say it will be a great challenge, as they know how much I like a challenge, and it’s for a well-deserved cause.

“I am hoping to raise £1,600 for the air ambulance as it’s such a worthy cause and this year is their 25th anniversary of saving lives .

“It’s such an important part of the counties, and we rely on its service so much.”

Kate and the team will embark on the trek on September 28, tackling temperatures of over 40 degrees during the day. On route they will encounter deserted villages and deep water wells frequented by Sahara nomads.

“We will be trekking across the desert averaging 17 miles a day, which I’m sure will be challenging, including climbing the sand dune called ‘Erg Zaher’ – the tallest dune in the area,” said Kate, who works as a lab and ports officer at an agricultural company.

Once at the top of the 1,900ft-high dune – said to be the furthest part of the desert from civilisation – participants are encouraged to watch the sun set and reflect on why they have taken on the challenge.

Kate has been working hard to train for the Sahara trek, including climbing Mount Snowdon in Wales last month, working hard at the gym and playing for her hockey team at Leadenham. However, she says preparing for the desert heat has been tricky.

“I haven’t really found away to train for the heat,” she said. “But during harvest on the farm, the grain stores get up to about 30-40 degrees on a hot day, so my plan was to climb up and down the grain heap which would act a bit like sand.”

l To sponsor Kate go online to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kate-reland4.