Colsterworth colleagues take on Tough Mudder

A group of fearless fund-raisers got down and dirty on Saturday to take on the Tough Mudder obstacle challenge for charity.

The six colleagues from Openfield, a farming co-operative company based in Colsterworth, managed to raise just over £1,000 for the East Midlands Immediate Care Scheme (EMICS) after seeing first-hand how important their work is.

Human resources officer Jade Sheardown said: “We see so many road collisions from where we work just off the A1 and see the difference that that the EMICS doctors make on a weekly basis.”

The colleagues, aged between 22 and 42, took two hours and 45 minutes to complete the course in the grounds of Belvoir Castle.

Created by British Special Forces, Tough Mudder offers a series of challenges designed to push participants’ bodies to the limit. With obstacles that involve jumping over 12-foot high walls, clinging on to cliffs and freezing in ice baths, it is dubbed one of the most extreme fund-raising challenges.

Jade added: “We didn’t stay dry for long. The first set of obstacles were a combination of water, muddy water and mud, making running very difficult from that point on.”

The team received Tough Mudder headbands and t-shirts to reward their success.

Dr Tim Gray MBE, of EMICS, thanked the team for their efforts. He said: “We are very grateful for any donations to EMICS and we’re able to do a great deal with a relatively small amount. An oxygen monitor costs £1,300 and is a vital piece of equipment for our volunteer doctors.”

It is not the first time that Jade has raised money for EMICS. “EMICS was also my chosen charity when I completed the three peaks challenge a few years ago, so I know how much they appreciate the money gained from fund-raising,” she said.

EMICS is a registered charity and receives no government funding or financial assistance other than donations, so funding is crucial in order to keep the scheme operational in future. Although all the doctors work for EMICS on a volunteer basis, the scheme urgently needs to raise funds to purchase more of the specialist equipment that the doctors carry and to fund the recuitment and training of more doctors.

To support EMICS, contact the treasurer on 07909 547156 or visit www.emics.org.uk

You can also keep up to date with their work on Facebook: 999EMICS or Twitter: @emics999