First Vet Charity Challenge Set To Raise Over £20k For Charity

Vet Charity Challenge 2012 winning team in action Bathed in glorious autumn sunshine, the inaugural Vet Charity Challenge took place on Saturday 15th September at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester. Twenty-six teams of four people took part, spending seven hours walking, running, cycling, kayaking, orienteering, along with a few mental physical challenges along the way. The event is to raise money for a number of animal charities including SPANA, Hounds for Heroes and Pet Blood Bank. Gavin Mitchell from BCF Technology commented, “We hope to raise over £20,000 for some great causes. Speaking to a number of teams during the event, they had already raised well over their targets.” Richard Ward from event management company Quest added “it is not necessarily the fittest team that will win this challenge, but the team that works together the best as a team.” The Vet Charity Challenge was sponsored by BCF Technology, Kruuse, Vets2.net and supported by Mojo Consultancy, VPMA and JCA Media Group. The “Challenge” started in the morning with a sprint to collect puzzles for teams to solve. This determined time slots when teams could attempt six mental and physical puzzles during the morning session. The teams then headed off on a walk or run around the surrounding countryside. The aim was to visit as many points on the map as possible. Each team could choose its own route. After lunch, the teams headed off again for the cycling stages, visiting places on the map in order to gain more points. Then finally it was onto the water for the kayaking stage. The winning team was the Complete Animal from Hyde Park Veterinary Centre in London. Team captain Leah Morley said, “The event was great fun, really well organised, and all the teams seemed to have got right behind it. You really had to work as a team, playing to different peoples strengths both physically and mentally. Everyone had a fair chance of winning. We would really like to thank others in the practice and our clients who were massively generous in their support and sponsorship. Their response was quite inspirational and certainly had an impact in driving us to perform well. I think every practice should take part and we look forward to returning next year to defend our title.” All the teams enjoyed the day and met the challenges head on and were enthusiastic for the Vet Charity Challenge to continue next year. Head Nurse, Angella McNellan from Glenbrae Veterinary Clinic in Bearsden, Glasgow said, “The Vet Charity Challenge has been brilliant fun, beautiful scenery, great challenges. It has really helped get fitter through training as a team after work during the summer. We cannot wait to do it all again next year.” Vet Roger Dixon from Ashbrook Equine Hospital in Cheshire also said, “The Challenge has been great fun, we really enjoyed the teambuilding element. Also it was worth the pain to beat the farm team!” Nicolette Hayward from team The Far Canals said, “The Vet Charity Challenge has been superb, enormous fun. We did absolutely no training and came in fourth, so we are very happy with that result.” Jason Rogers from BCF team Witness the Fitness, “We really enjoyed the day, found it exhausting though, the kayaking was the toughest part, and we had quite a run back in the morning to get back in time.” To add to the level of exhaustion, following a barbeque in the evening, competitors were flung around the dance floor for a Ceilidh. The band consisted of organisers from the event including caller Brian Wright from Vets Now and competitors Nicolette Haywood and Jim Hughes. For more information, see more photos and to register interest for the challenge in 2013 visit www.vetcharitychallenge.co.uk. Also follow Vet Charity Challenge and on Twitter @vetchallenge.

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