Bristol and North Somerset Paramedics to Trek Peru's Inca Trail for Charity
The self funded expedition will be raising money for paramedics and defibrillators across the South West
Last updated 26th Feb 2023
Thirteen brave adventurers from Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire are preparing to embark on a 28-mile (45km) trek along Peru’s Inca Trail to raise £10,000 for the South Western Ambulance Charity.
The team, which includes 11 paramedics from the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT), will climb as high as 13,800ft (4,200m) on the legendary trail to reach the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.
Over the course of the trek, the adventurers will tackle high mountain passes and hike through rainforest areas and subtropical vegetation in temperatures ranging from 6 degrees Celsius at night to 30 degrees Celsius during the day.
The self-funded adventure is being undertaken to raise money for the South Western Ambulance Charity, which supports the wellbeing of frontline crews and the communities they serve in the BNSSG area.
The team of adventurers, all from the BNSSG area, includes student paramedic Donna Jordan and paramedics Leanne Bessell, Tracy Jarrett, Sharon Swanborough, Abi Elliott, Gabriella Salmon, Dianne Fant, Richard Clark, Helen Field, Georgia Simpson, and Charlotte Cousins. Former SWASFT Emergency Care Assistant Vicky Turner and Ian Hunt from Avon Fire & Rescue Service are also part of the team.
Donna Jordan, who came up with the idea for the expedition, said: “Back in August 2021, in the middle of the pandemic, thirteen of us decided to get together to try to raise £10,000 for our local ambulance stations and colleagues as a thank you for everything they all do."
She added, “We’re funding the trip ourselves, getting ourselves into shape and training together, and we’re determined to complete the challenge. I suggested trekking to Machu Picchu, which has been on my bucket list for years. I love history and can’t wait to walk in the footsteps of the people who created the Inca Trail hundreds of years ago."
The team have been training intensely for the challenge too. Donna told us: "Actually, if you imagine we were just a bunch of 12 strangers, when we set up this challenge. And we've all come together through it and that whole team building and come camaraderie, it's been really important. But we live in a location which is fantastic for training. We live on the edge of Wales. We've got the Brecon Beacons up around the corner. So we've been meeting up, going on tracks together. We've been getting up at 4:00 o'clock in the morning and doing Sunrise treks in minus 5 degrees up there. We did that a few weeks ago to get used to the the cold temperatures."
"And then, of course, in the summer, we were trekking when it was 37 degrees. So the main thing is building our team and the dynamics. Now we've got a really good team...
"We're just chomping at the bits to get started now!"
Zoe Larter heads up the South Western Ambulance Charity. She has trekked the inca trail before: "I don't know if I've given Donna or any brilliant tips, to be honest. I think I've just told her it's gonna be really challenging and that the altitude really does make a huge difference. I have memories of walking up those altitudes. Walking up massive stones at every step and having to take a sort of 10 minute rest between every step - just because there's there's that lack of oxygen at that high level.
It is really incredible what they're doing. I mean, our ambulance personnel go the extra mile for us every day in their work and trekking the Inca Trail is just taking that to an entirely different level. It's amazing. I'm in awe of them".
The money raised from the sponsorship of this expedition will go directly to the South Western Ambulance Charity, which will use the funds to enhance working environments, provide outdoor space for crew breaks at ambulance stations, and support the health and wellbeing of ambulance crews who work hard every day in challenging jobs.
Student Paramedic Donna told us: "ÂŁ10,000, that's our target. We've got a fantastic just giving page which Zoe has given us https://www.swast.nhs.uk/welcome/latest-news/peru-trek-to-raise-funds-for-south-western-ambulance-charity
"We've got linkups on the SW ambulance page as well where you can link up and read what we're doing and you can just click on the link as well if you want to donate.
"The ice hockey team (Bristol Pitbulls) have been absolutely fantastic. They've offered us a signed T-shirt to raffle off, so things like that where you've got the this massive following of people who can then engage on their Facebook page, highlights it more and brings it to the attention of more people.
Zoe Larter, Head of the South Western Ambulance Charity, said, “Our crews always go the extra mile, but the Inca Trail is exceptional even by their standards. The money this intrepid team raises will go back into Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire. We owe a big thank you to all the expedition’s members and donors for their support.”
"We want to help support community resilience. We want to get more DEFIB'S out into communities. So every penny that people donate to support Donna and her team in their Macchu Pichu challenge will go towards doing that. Every single penny will go to the work to support the work of the charity. So yeah, as I say, thank you to everybody that supported us so far. And thank you to everybody who is going to support us".
The team is set to embark on their adventure in May.