HARDY fundraisers have gone to the ends of the earth to raise cash for good causes, including the famous Barnardo’s children’s charity in East London. They trekked through the frozen wasteland at the far northern tip of Scandinavia, deep inside the Arctic circle—and it was winter!

By Mike Brooke

HARDY fundraisers have gone to the ends of the earth to raise cash for good causes, including East London’s famous Barnardo’s children’s charity.

They trekked through the frozen wastes of Lapland at the far northern tip of Scandinavia, deep inside the Arctic circle—and it was winter!

The 14 adventurers from Britain chalked up 200 miles in just six days with the help of teams of huskies.

One of the trekkers, Rebecca Goding, a 33-year-old media officer from East London, raised �2,700 for Barnardo’s, which had its historic roots in the deprived East End of Victorian London.

ON THE MOVE

“I never expected the trek to be as hard as it was,” she admitted.

“We were on the move dawn till dusk in extreme temperatures.

“It was physically and mentally draining, but knowing it was for a good cause kept me going.”

The gruelling Arctic trek passed through steep woodland, along narrow, winding tracks and across frozen lakes. Nights were spent huddled in tents, with temperatures as low as 20 Celsius.

Rebecca, who works in Barnardo’s own media office in Ilford, revealed how harsh conditions really were.

DRINKING SNOW

“We had to take our water from the streams or melt the snow,” she explained.

“Washing was not much of an option—if you fell in the water, you would be dead within five minutes.”

Rebecca is now back at her home at Stratford in East London in time for spring, but is still looking for sponsors for her �3,000 target.

She is hoping wellwishers will donate on her website page online.