NHS workers to brave sub-zero temperatures for three-day Arctic endeavour in support of ‘amazing’ charity

The team - mostly staff from the operating theatres at QA Hospital - will embark on a 75km trek in the Arctic Circle, dragging their tents and kit on pulks in temperatures plummeting to -30C.

As they prepare for their fundraising challenge, set to take place from February 8 to 13, the NHS staff are pledging to raise at least £75,000 for the charity The Genie’s Wish.

This organisation’s mission is to enhance the lives of people aged up to 40 who are suffering from a critical or terminal illness or living with a life-threatening medical condition.

Captain Andy Jones will be leading the 20 challengers into the abyss, and Dr Sian Taylor is among those nurses, doctors, surgeons, HCAs, and ODPs preparing to brave Arctic conditions in the Finnish wilderness in support of an important cause.

Sian said: ‘We are training hard for the trek, whilst also undertaking a range of fundraising events to meet our financial target.’

A GP at the Liphook and Liss branch of the Swan Medical Group, Sian became involved in the challenge as her husband is an anaesthetist in the theatres at QA hospital.

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She added: ‘I have always enjoyed walking and having completed the South Downs Way last summer, when the opportunity of the Arctic Trek came up, I jumped at it.

‘The reality of freezing temperatures, the hard slog of dragging the pulk for hours every day and the hours of training needed are only slowly sinking in.

‘However it is all for an amazing charity which gives opportunities to those who are suffering from terminal or life-limiting conditions - the benefit it will bring to them spurs me on.’

The team have been undertaking various fundraisers to help reach their £75,000 charity target, and will continue to hold events until January next year.

The team is nearly halfway to its fundraising target, having raised almost £35,000 for The Genie’s Wish.

Visit the team’s fundraising page at justgiving.com/fundraising/qa-belowzero.

To find out more, visit the QA Below Zero website at qabelowzero.com.