Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

My name is Chris.  This is my story.  I am asking you to support me in my trek to the North Pole to raise funds for SCT.

I am now in Norway.  This is a short note written on Day 5 - The Night Before the trek starts! 

So a quick breakfast and another bout of assault shopping saw us return for the final packing. During shopping, we stopped off at the "Vapen" (gun) store in which the sales guy regaled us with a story of a polar bear....We shifted the sleds and skis into the SUV and AC and MG delivered them to the hanger. They returned for the rest of the sleds and delivered those for weighing in. The weights were 48kg, 46kg, 45kg and 44kg. And Viktor is very happy with the runway. It is 120cm thick. We went onto Kroa for an excellent dinner and then the Radisson to meet up with AC's colleagues. A quick drink was had and everyone wished us well. We returned back to the guest house.

At this point, I have to get personal. I am excited and nervous at the same time. This is as much for me as it is for the Spitalfields Crypt Trust. They have given me much. And I hope, with this trek, I (with the guys' help and your generosity) am able to give back as honourably as possible.

I will be "radio silent" for a while so look out for the map on www.testyourcore.com (live tracking page or the link to the map) and hopefully we'll be able to send a message or two. 
 
To all those family members, friends and even strangers who have given generously, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope this will be the transformative experience it promises to be.

Signing off for now...

Your humble newbie trekker

Chris

Basically without the fine people at SCT, I would not be where I am today.

In 2008, I was nearly murdered whilst walking back from work.  As I have since found out, there is no template for recovery from something like that.  During one of those dark days of my physical recovery, it occurred to me I needed to “give back”.   I don’t know why, I just I needed to do this.   I came across SCT as they were just up the road from me so I bravely ventured out and signed up as a volunteer.  Still physically weak and, unbeknownst to me at the time, in the full throes of post-traumatic stress disorder, I started working with other volunteers at the drop-in centre.  I also started hanging out at Acorn House. 

What struck me about SCT’s projects, apart from being vitally important and necessary to the local community, was the implicit support, camaraderie, friendliness, compassion, love and care that was extended to me without any strings.   It was palpable and not anything like I have ever experienced. 

I started doing simple tasks like preparing meals, cleaning, talking with the service users, playing cards and forging connections with people who were much worse off than me.   Indeed, they were able to empathize with me. As time went by, going to the drop-in and Acorn House became the highlight of my week.   I simply needed to be there.   As I grew stronger, I was inspired to help more and did so by walking the Great Wall of China to raise some funds.   A nudge from one of the Acorn House key workers helped me find a counsellor who accompanied me on an extraordinary journey of pain, turmoil, happiness and redemption that enabled me to cope with my post-traumatic stress disorder, sporadic bouts of unemployment and a relationship breakup.  I was eventually able to come to terms with what had happened to me.

A couple of years later, I feel I have come a long way.   More importantly, I have witnessed firsthand, on the front line, how the people at SCT help the less fortunate with kindness. Having been a recipient of this kindness myself, I know that this critically important work must continue.

And so to raise funds for and awareness of SCT, I am undertaking a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the North Pole in March next year.  It’s going to be the most challenging activity I’ve taken on.  To help in my training and preparation, I am also embarking on adventures this year cycling in the Peruvian Amazon and across Vietnam and Cambodia. 

I urge you to support the work of SCT by sponsoring my North Pole challenge.

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