Over 1,600 adventurers took part in the 65.8-mile Isle of Wight Ultra Challenge at the weekend, including a dedicated team from the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary who raised over £3,000 to support the rescue of 2 brown bears from Azerbaijan.
The Wildheart team included CEO Lawrence, big cat carers Mary and Sandra, and Wildheart supporter Graeme, who is also the in-house photographer for local estate agent Pittis.
The group set off from the Chale base camp shortly after 07:00 on Saturday (3rd May) and completed the route after walking for 34 hours and 15 minutes, finishing on Sunday evening.
Unfortunately, Graeme was forced to withdraw after completing 70km.
Funds raised will go towards the Sanctuary’s ongoing efforts to rescue Benji and Balu, 2 European brown bears previously found living beside a restaurant in Azerbaijan.
When asked how it felt to have completed the Ultra Challenge, Sandra said:
“What a phenomenal experience for team Wildheart! Collectively we have pushed our bodies and minds to the limit of endurance and the highs and lows of mental and physical fatigue. When every fibre of our beings wanted to stop, kind words, and the generosity of every single donation, helped us power through right to the end.
“What can we say apart from our humblest thank you to every donor and supporter for helping us reach the end of this epic adventure!”
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You can still donate to the Wildheart team’s JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/page/iow-ultra-bears.
