Two Fifers have been braving the elements to raise funds for worthy charities

Sergeant Don Sutherland and Lynn Muir, who also works as a hotel sales manager, both trekked for three days with organisers Breaking Strain Events, but at different times to fundraise for causes which meant a lot to them.

Don was part of a small team which travelled to the Northern Hemisphere and trekked there from February 8-13. Don was aiming to raise £4000 for Maggie’s Centre at Victoria Hospital after the cancer charity supported him through bereavement. In fact he managed to raise an incredible £7000 as a thank you to Maggie’s staff after they supported him following the loss of his sister Fiona to pancreatic cancer in March 2011 and his wife Valerie, who tragically died just ten months later in January 2012 of cervical cancer.

Meanwhile, Lynn trekked with a team just before Don, from January 31 until February 5. She was approached by When You Wish Upon A Star to take part.

She had previously been involved in some work with the charity, which aims to grant the wishes of children living with a life threatening illness, as a make-up artist at an event and was completely inspired by the courageous children she met. She went with a team of 18, all who were raising money for the same charity. She raised just over £4000.

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Don said he was approached by Tu Edwards from Maggie’s Fife about taking part and he knew it was an opportunity he couldn’t turn down. He was with 12 trekkers all raising money for their local Maggie’s Centres.

Don said he took a lot of advice.

“There’s a way to get through extreme weather and that’s to accept the organisers are always right!

“Our group was much luckier with the weather than the previous one which Lynn Muir was in. I know how cold I felt even while I was walking, so I was quite in awe of what her group endured before us. We experienced some temperatures close to -30, but generally the weather was below -20 and at some points -10.

“I had been steeling myself for the extreme weather Lynn faced so I have to say it was not as bad as I expected.”

Don said the camping element of the experience was the lowest point, but he said there were several high points.

“The staff were fantastic, the views at times were both bleak and stunning and the bond of the team was quickly formed. We were also lucky to stand below a beautiful show of the northern lights. Aurora borealis made an appearance on our last night in the Arctic and it was as amazing as I had been led to believe.”

He continued: “It is a constant battle funding places like Maggie’s and I am proud to have helped in the small way that I have. I can’t quantify the help Maggie’s gave me when I needed it.”

Lynn revealed that her group experienced really extreme conditions: “The temperatures dropped to below -40 on the first night. We lost some trekkers to hypothermic injuries and one girl got frost bite in her thumb. It was painfully cold, like nothing I have ever felt.

“But we all supported and helped each other so much through the experience. We camped out two consecutive nights after walking for 12 hours. Temperatures were between -30 and -40 on both nights.”

She revealed her highest and lowest points of the trip: “We were very lucky to see the Northern Lights on the first night. For me the most memorable experience was sharing with a team of strangers who became like family. I had several moments of really struggling and they got me through. The sunsets were also pretty amazing along with the most beautiful of sceneries.

“The lowest point was sleeping in such cold conditions and also never being able to stop for more than 10 minutes because your body temperature dropped so much. But when I was finding it really tough I kept thinking of the children facing the unthinkable and how they must often feel they cant go on another day, yet they do with such courage.”

Lynn said the money she raised will make a real difference: “The charity raises money to grant wonderful wishes and memories to children facing life threatening and often terminal illnesses from the age of two to 16 and their families. Having met some of the kids and their families at a previous charity event I was part of I wanted to do something that would raise enough money to make a real difference.

“The monies raised from the Arctic Wish Trek will go towards paying for magical Scotland invitations for the children who fit the charities criteria to board their annual charted Santa Express seats to Lapland at Christmas 2019. Each seat costs £450 so what I have proudly raised will allow for nine children to go in search of Father Christmas in December.”

She added: “I am privileged to have been able to work with such an amazing charity. I absolutely loved having the opportunity to take part in this amazing experience.”

Admiration for endurance

Don said he had a lot of admiration for Lynn for the extreme conditions she and her team endured. He said: “I do stress that my trip was a test of character,” he added, “but the trek Lynn was on would have been a bigger one. I don’t know her personally but I am impressed at the way she and her group got through it.”

Lynn said: “I knew Don was doing the trek as my husband is also in the police. I hadn’t connected with him until I got back and I just wanted to help out if I could. I learned some valuable tips I thought could help him. I think he’s amazing. He has much more personal reasons for doing the trek and I really admire him for it. ”