Meningitis Research Foundation

GLOUCESTERSHIRE, U K (Gloucestershire Gazette) - A charity worker from Thornbury has raised more than £3,000 to help fight meningitis.

Kat Lacy, 30, who works for the Meningitis Research Foundation, has just returned from a week’s husky-sledding in the wildernesses of Norway.

Kat, who has worked as a community fundraising officer at the Thornbury-based charity for three years, trekked up to 65 kilometres a day with her five-dog team.

The trek, which saw temperatures drop to minus 10 degrees, took Kat across the frozen wilderness of Scandinavia from the ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, to Norway and finishing in Tromso.

In total Kat raised £3,016 for the Meningitis Research Foundation.

She said: "I expected this challenge to be one I would never forget but it completely exceeded anything I imagined.

"It was hard and rewarding work, as you are not a passive passenger on the sledge but must work together with dogs through long days to each destination. The dogs are amazing and the scenery beautiful.

"From the stark lunar landscape of the Arctic Tundra to the spectacular mountains and forests, my five boundless huskies and my fellow participants were a joy to be with on this adventure."

However, despite the trek going well Kat faced a nightmare trying to return to the UK when she found herself marooned in Norway for an extra four days after an ash cloud closed all British airspace.

"I can thank the volcano for one thing, I got to go back to the sledding centre and spent a bit more time with my dogs before my 50-hour road trip home," she said.

Kat’s trip back to Thornbury involved an aeroplane, a bus, a train, some by foot, a boat, another bus and a car.

For more information on taking part in the Lapland Husky Challenge 2011 call Kat on 01454 281 814 or visit www.meningitis.org/husky

Copyright 2010 Gloucestershire Gazette
Updated 3017 hours ago   Article ID# 467390

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