Steve heads to the Sahara

Steve Metcalf is well-known behind the bar of The Cross Keys, Fulstow but in March he will be stepping out to take on the Sahara Desert in a charity trek.

Joining Steve on the trek will be his daughter Jazz and money raised will go to Alzheimer’s Research UK, a charity the pair are keen to support after Steve’s dad was diagnosed with dementia.

Steve said: “It will be tough, especially the sand dunes, but it is all in a good cause and I am so happy Jazz agreed to do the trek too.”

The trek will see them covering 110 kilometres in six days.

For two of the days, they will be covering 30 kilometres per day and we will be starting really early to avoid the heat, as they will have to stop for two or two and a half hours to avoid the peak temperatures.

With the temperature expected to reach 90 to 95 degrees, keeping hydrated will be essential.

Each trekker will carry their own water pack, with the rest of their kit being transported between the Bedouin villages where they will spend the nights, as the temperature drops to zero.

To take part in the trek, Steve and Jazz had to raise around £5,000 – which they have already achieved, mainly through the support they have received from Cross Keys customers.

Steve said: “It is a very long list of customers to thank, so I will just say thank you to everyone who has supported us.

"We really are very grateful.”

Joining them for the trek will be a golfing buddy of Steve’s, Steve Boryszczuk, a seasoned charity trekker.

Having been friends for some time, the shared dementia experience has brought them closer.

This will be the 10th long-distance trek Steve Boryszczuk has taken part in, all to raise money for Alzheimer’s charities.

Steve’s commitment to dementia fundraising – and raising awareness of the progressive disease – is all in memory of his wife Michelle, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at just 37 years of age and died aged 44.

Anyone wishing to support the trekkers can visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jasmine-metcalf