Lisburn chef Peter McConkey climbed Kilimanjaro in 2008 to raise funds for Oxfam Ireland. These photos from his trip show the scope of the adventure that he undertook to help Oxfam’s work.
The most difficult part of the trek was the summit day. We started walking at 11pm in the evening, walking through the night to reach the summit in time for sunrise. The colours were vivid – blues and greens of the glacier along with reds and oranges of the sunrise. It was an awesome sight and I think about it every day.
On August 10th, 2010, three young Australians, Kris Davant, Jamie Kenyon and Valerio De Simoni, set out on a global challenge to raise awareness for global poverty.
Their challenge is to fundraise $100,000 for Oxfam Australiaʼs Southern African Livelihoods Program, and attempting to break a Guinness World Record, all on their 12-month mammoth route across three continents and 34 countries. They are travelling 50,000 km overland from the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul (Turkey), arriving back across the Sydney Harbour Bridge (Australia) a full 365 days later in August 2011.
The Quad Squad landed in Waterford last Saturday, Sept 11th, where they were escorted by a convoy of 150 Harley Davidson riders from the Celtic Thunder Harley Davidson Motorcycle Club to Dunmore East. Dunmore East is the second home of Quad Squad member Jamie Kenyon, who has travelled to Waterford from Australia yearly with his family all through his life. The event was a great success, drawing a huge crowd, and was featured on RTE News.
To find out more and to donate to this fundraising project, visit www.quadsquad.org
The winning team: ‘Timmehh’, from UK and Ireland, including captain Nick Dillon, Tom Blackmore, Gordon Baird and Colin Caunter, were the first team to complete Oxfam Ireland’s TRAILTREKKER 100km challenge walk by day and by night from Newcastle, Co Down, to Carlingford, Co. Louth.
Oxfam’s epic TRAILTREKKER challenge came to a close yesterday after more than 400 participants set off early on Saturday morning (4th September). Each team had a single goal – to complete the gruelling 100km route from Donard Park in Newcastle and reach the finishing line at Carlingford Sailing Club inside 36 hours.
After walking by day and by night through the Mournes, the Ring of Gullion and the Cooley Peninsula, the first team of 4 to cross the line in a time of 17 hours and 43 minutes were ‘Timmehh’, from UK and Ireland. The team members, who met while at university, were captain Nick Dillon, Tom Blackmore, Gordon Baird and Colin Caunter.
TRAILTREKKER 2010 kicks off tomorrow – it’s the second year of our 100km team challenge event, and it’s bigger and better than ever. 110 intrepid teams of four are taking on the experience of a lifetime – trekking through the night to complete a 100km course across the Mourne Mountains and Cooley Peninsula in under 36 hours.
We’ve just set up a Facebook Fan Page for our amazing Climb Kilimanjaro challenge. Whether you’re taking part in the event, are interested in finding out more, or want to support a friend who’s taking part – head over there now and become a Fan. You can meet other climbers, chat about the event and your training regimes on the discussion boards, or add your photos.
TRAILTREKKER challenges teams of four to complete a 100km route across Irish terrain in less than 36 hours and we need your help!
We need over 200 volunteers for TRAILTREKKER 2010. We have over 100 teams taking part in the event and we need volunteers to motivate and help the courageous walkers. Do you have what it takes to be part of the Oxfam TRAILTREKKER Team?
An amazing 100 teams have already signed up for TRAILTREKKER, Oxfam Ireland’s 100km team challenge across the Mourne Mountains and Cooley Peninsula. It’s an unforgettable experience that combines endurance, navigation, determination and teamwork – and there’s still time for you to sign up!
Team registration closes in one week, on Friday 23rd July, so get your three fittest and bravest friends together, and head over to the TRAILTREKKER site to find out more.
TRAILTREKKER 2010 kicks off tomorrow – it’s the second year of our 100km team challenge event, and it’s bigger and better than ever. 110 intrepid teams of four are taking on the experience of a lifetime – trekking through the night to complete a 100km course across the Mourne Mountains and Cooley Peninsula in under 36 hours.
