I saw the most amazing opportunity come on Wigan & Leigh Hospice website, a chance to raise vital funds for the hospice as well as take part in an opportunity of a lifetime trekking in the Sahara Desert, a chance to drag me right out of my comfort zone, with a group of people i’ve never met, rubbing shoulder to shoulder supporting each other going the extra mile together on one expedition for one truly incredible cause.
The Cause: Wigan & Leigh Hospice
The early origins of the hospice began all the way back in 1977 below is a timeline of the remarkable journey the hospice has undertaken, from its early conception to the present as we know it today.
- 1977: Founded by a Shevington general practitioner and the Wigan Rotary Club
- 1978-1981: A steering committee formed. and a large public meeting confirmed strong comunity need. The first home-based community nursing service launched in 1981.
- 1983-1984: The original hospice building on Poolstock Lane in Wigan was opened in August 1983 with 5 beds, expanding to 12 beds by 1986. It was officially opened in December 1984 by Countess of Westmorland
- 1994-1997: A new, purpose-built facility in Hindley was launched by the Duchess of York in 1994 and officially opened in December 1997, featuring an inpatient unit, day hospice, and therapy suites.
- 2012: The inpatient unit at Hindley expanded to 14 beds, which remains the core capacity for residential care alongside extensive “Hospice in Your Home” community programs.
Wigan & Leigh Hospice, provide expert care and unwavering support to people living with life-limiting illnesses. As a charity rooted in compassion, their dedicated team specialises in palliative and end-of-life care, ensuring each patient receives personalised support that meets their physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs.
They care not only for our patients, but also for those closest to them – offering guidance, comfort and connection during some of life’s most challenging times. Our services extend to people with a wide range of conditions including cancer, heart and respiratory illnesses, and neurological disorders. They admit more than 250 people each year to the 14 beds on their Inpatient Unit.
Once referred, the length of stay depends on each patient’s individual needs. They provide short-term care to help manage complex symptoms and end-of-life care for those who need it. It cost approximatley £7 million a year to run the hospice and provide the exemplary care that they do, the receive an NHS Gap payment which only covers less than a one third of the amount they need! The remainder, because of the very small amount provided by the NHS funding gap, the hospice relies heavily on self-raised income. They must raise £13,000 every single day—amounting to over £4.4 million each year—through people donating directly, people fundraising, the weekly lottery, charity shops, legacies, and local donation drives to keep services active.
The Sahara Desert Trek, But Why?
I saw the advertisment on the Global Adventure website and immediately needed to know more, did my research and realised this was a fabulous way to raise money for a charity I support deeply Wigan & Leigh Hospice, so after chatting to the hospice and realising they were involved with this trek I provisionally signed up, next step was discussing with my company to gauge their support on this expedition, I work for Sankey & Monks Funeral Directors part of the Dignity group and synonymous with Leigh and the local area, on speaking with Jacqueline Roberts my cluster manager, her support and enthusiasm was superb and fully backed and endorsed this challenge. That meant it was all systems go we are on!!!!
The trek itself is all pre-planned and arranged through Global Adventures the actual trek itself consists of the following itinary
Day 1
We depart tWigan & Leigh Hospice at 10.30pm travel to London Heathrow to board my flight to Marrakech Morocco at 7.00am. Once I’ve landed arrive I’m then transferred to the hotel hotel in Ouarzazate.
Day 2
Transfer to M’hamid, the gateway to the Sahara via the Draa Valley, 5hr Jeep ride through the Atlas Mountains) After lunch, we trek to Bougharn Dunes.
Day 3
Follow the ever changing landscape and trek to foot of Chigaga Dunes. Whole day walking in 80-90 degree heat in sand with a 4 inch sink
Day 4
Climb the Chigaga Dunes and witness the sun-rise over the Sahara – this is meant to be a bucket list thing to do then from Chigaga Dunes to Erg Aghoual. full day walking through the desert to our next stop
Day 5
Trek to Sidi Ab Nbi and then transfer to Ouarzazate. That night a celebratory dinner ‘Moroccan style’! is held to say “we did it”
Day 6
I have a free afternoon to explore the beautiful city of Marrakech before heading to the airp
ort ransfer to airport for fmy flight back to the UK.
All in all this is going to be a truly incredible trip really pishing boundaries, seeing some incredible scenery along the way, experiencing cultures I’ve never seen before, making new friends and adding some incredible memories along the way!
Any Concerns Along The Way?
The first and foremost concern is the heat, even though the internet says the temperatures are much cooler and tolerable, guides and people who have done the trek still advise that it is extremely hot and very hard to walk in, coupled with the temperatures plummeting at night to around 4 degrees sometimes dropping significantly lower brrrr
Then there is the wild life to consider its the desert so there are species that are there to not only survive but to protect themselves, things I’ve been advised to watch out for (yikes) Saharah Horned Vipers often called sidewinders, Scorpions apparently ones with large pincers dont sting the ones with small pincers sting! Camel spiders are another lovely addition to the Moroccand Sahara, at night Fennec Foxes prowl the dunes, along with Jerboas, Desert Hedgehogs, Dorcas Gazelles, African Golden wolves, Berber Skinks, Moroccan Spiny-Tailed Lizards. All of these animals pose zero threat to us unless provoked, I intend to offer a very wide berth.
Lastly i’m being taken right out of my comfort zone, for the duration of the trip in the Sahara there are no showers (wet wipes only) there are no toilets whatsoever, when the call of nature comes I will literally dig a hole and go for broke! Poo bags for wipes a MUST! There are no showers to wash, so four full days of roughing it lol, 3 litres of water per day is my allowance, I need to pack electrolytes to keep my hydration peaked ,as well as snack bars to aid nutrition as I walk, food is provided by the berbers in camp breakfast porridge I think then our dinner when we arrive at the next camp.
Raising Vital Funds
It’s all well and good walking in a desert, enjoying scenery and pushing boundaries, but it has to be worthwhile, for me raising as much as I can for the hospice has been first and foremost in my mindset, I set myself a £10,000 goal, yes thats right £10,000 I’m currently around the £4,500 mark so along way to go before the end of November, I acheived this so far a number of ways, me and my fiancee Michelle have held raffles, we have hosted prize bingo nights, I have obtained three shirts kindly donated by Derek Beaumont and Debeau Performance, these shirts will have a collection of local businesses who have kindly sponsored me, this in itself has generated £1,650 of donations, I’ve done a sponsored car wash, as much as I can possibly do to raise as much as i possibly can to reach that £10,000 goal. this funding will provide vital funding and services for the hospice in turn helping those in need, it could very well be one of our relatives or loved ones, needing the hospice so as much as I can do I will. I have a justgiving page where people can donate to my challenge.
Please consider supporting my challenge, every single penny goes to the hospice, your donation goes towards someones care at those vital end of life moments making a patient as comfortable as they possibly can.
Thank you for reading my piece, it means alot.
Paul
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