Walking 50km within 15 hours from Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park into the Sydney CBD is not an everyday undertaking for a team of working mothers who live about 300km southwest.
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But that is what a quartet of Yass women – Sophie Peer, Kirsten Stafford, Kate Deronne and Kate MacMaster – are set to tackle when they take on the annual Oxfam Australia Trailerwalker on August 25–27.
The team, who call themselves the ‘Pathmakers’, aims to raise $2500 to alleviate poverty in communities across the globe.
Ms Peer said the desire to tackle the endurance event came from the idea of connecting local to the global.
“We’re taking a Yass team to bring back global issues to discuss in our small town – to increase awareness about poverty, sustainability, shelter and food,” Ms Peer said.
Similarly, fellow participant Kate MacMaster said the initiative is one of their engagements in social changes more broadly.
“The team name is about walking a path to creating change – so it’s metaphorical and literal,” Ms MacMaster said.
Trailwalker promotes not only the development of physical and mental resilience, it also aims to be a rewarding fundraising challenge. Money raised will go towards building water taps; installing boreholes, toilets and hand-washing stalls; and building schools.
Ms Peer said it was a good chance to set a good example for the younger generations, particularly the four women’s children, who will be part of their support crew.
“We’re all mothers and for us, it’s important to educate our kids about how lucky we are and where we live – we’re very privileged,” she said.
Each year, more than 2000 teams – or 8000 walkers – take part in Oxfam Trailwaker across Australia, raising more than $8m for people living in poverty.
For the Pathmakers, the 2017 event will be their first time in an endurance event. Both Ms Peer and Ms MacMaster said they have been in preparations and training mode since signing up.
“We can’t go into an enduro without having prepared, so it’s been about trying to fit this crazy training schedule into our daily lives. We’ve got equipment – including shoes and walking poles,” Ms MacMaster said.
Ms Peer shared similar sentiments. “We’re not super young, so it’d be a physical challenge, but one that I’ll embrace,” she said.,
“I’ll be happy to walk through the night for 15 hours to help shed light on global issues.”
Oxfam Trailwalker began in 1981 as a training exercise for the elite Queen’s Gurkha Signals Regiment in Hong Kong.
It has since grown into one of the world’s ultimate team events with almost 200,000 people taking part across global locations, where $140 million has been raised to support of Oxfam’s work.
To help the Pathmakers achieve their goal, you can donate at Trader & Co. (92 Meehan Street) or at trailwalker.oxfam.org.au/my/team/28223.