TRAILWALKER 2017 – 4 people – 100km – 30 hours

Matthews are proud to have sponsored two of our managers who attempted the particularly daunting challenge of hiking 100 km across the South Downs in just 30 hours!

Organised by The Gurkha Welfare Trust and Oxfam, this year 400 teams of 4 will trek across the South Downs in under 30 hours raising money for The Gurkha Trust and Oxfam.

The Gurkha Welfare Trust is the leading Gurkha charity. They provide financial, medical and development aid to Gurkha veterans, their families and communities.

Oxfam is a global movement of people who won’t live with the injustice of poverty. Together they save lives in disasters. They help people build better lives for themselves. They speak out on the big issues, like inequality and climate change.

Senior Contracts Manager Dylan Lovelock, decided he wanted to take on the Trailwalker 2017 challenge and in particular was keen to raise money for The Gurkha Trust. He needed to assemble and 4 man team and set about recruiting people who were mad enough to join him; who better then to ask than Site Manager Jason Mead!

As expected, Jason fervently agreed, along with Dylan’s long-time friend Mark Palmer and Brother-in-law Martin O’brien along with a support crew captained by Father-in-law Barrie O’brien.

The aptly named team ‘South Downs Stompers’ set about training for several months, across hills and fields in preparation for the challenge ahead.

The weekend of the challenge arrived and the team set off at 6 a.m. straight into steep hills and muddy tracks.

Before long the weather turned for the worse and the rain came pouring down, but this didn’t dampen the team spirit and the lads marched on arriving at each checkpoint to sign in, hiking throughout the day and into the night, battling the elements and their own aches and pains.

Unfortunately at 60 km, two of the team were forced to retire due to severe blisters and pure exhaustion.

Although everyone was very disappointed that two of the team were forced to retire, Dylan and Martin, decided to join another team to continue (as is stated in the rules). After a long slog, extremely painful legs, knees and toes, the lads managed to make it the finish line in 28 hours!

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‘I have taken on one or two similar challenges in my life, but none as excruciating, physically and mentally demanding as this, however I couldn’t of assembled a better team of lads, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I will be signing up for Trailwalker 2018, I hope you will all show your support next year, thank you’

Dylan Lovelock

‘Trailwalker was an amazing experience and a personal challenge that I will never forget. The team spirit was absolutely brilliant and although it was very physically demanding and painful, strangely I enjoyed every minute of it and I’ll be signing up for next year’

Jason Mead

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[minti_iconbox icon=”fa-envelope” style=”8″ title=”Need Matthews for Demolition or Earthworks Services?” url=”mailto:[email protected]”]Contact us to enquire today!

01293 617 014

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