Team Diary

Wednesday 15th June 2005

We have to admit that our first thoughts when deciding to take part in the Scott Dunn Polar Challenge were all about the adventure. It was only later that we realized we had an incredible opportunity to raise money for charity. We chose two charities whose work is important to us - Breakthrough Breast Cancer and the British Schools Exploring Society (read more about these worthy charities on the Making A Difference page). We are extremely grateful to everyone who has donated money, time and effort to our charity fundraising. I'd like to share some fantastic news with you - together we have raised

£21,511

This is an incredible sum and the whole team is over the moon.

However, the story doesn't end there. We are currently busy preparing talks and presentations for venues in London and our home regions. Some of these talks will add to our grand total for charity so we will keep you posted with a final total at the end of July.

Team Pink Lady^® xx

Wednesday 25 th May 2005

What an incredible fortnight. Arriving back from the Arctic we have had so many kind messages and congratulations. We had no idea so many of you were watching! Thank you to everyone who has been in touch, its been great to hear from you. To be able to share this experience with you has made it all the more exciting.

But we weren't allowed to wallow in the congratulations for long. Our boots had barely defrosted before Dr Justin had us back at the University of Hertfordshire for another fitness test. Despite blistered feet and aching legs we did our bit on the treadmill and are all, apparently, much fitter than when we left. We would also have been much lighter except that all three of us have done nothing but eat since we left the ice. While other teams report loosing a stone in weight, typically, the all girl team have stayed roughly the same weight throughout!

A special thank you to the RGS who did their bit to stop us loosing any weight by sharing a sinfully delicious chocolate cake to celebrate our return.

Team Pink Lady xx

The Pink Lady PoleCats causing Havoc at BBC Radio Kent on Sunday while appearing on the Jonathan Witchell Show.

Monday 9th May 2005

Crossing the finish line of the 2005 Scott Dunn Polar Challenge was fantastic but coming home to friends and family at Heathrow was even better. Emerging last into arrivals there was a huge cheer from a waiting crowd of pink-festooned supporters. It was incredible to see everyone again and finally be able to celebrate our adventure with them.

The support from home has been just incredible. All the messages of encouragement and congratulations have more than once brought a tear to the eye and the team has just been overwhelmed by everyones kindness. During the race we knew you were all out there following our progress and it was a huge source of motivation on those tough days.

Our immediate plans are to sleep and to eat (!) but we will be posting photos, movie clips and accounts of the race on the website as soon as possible, so watch this space!

Team Pink Lady ® xxx

Monday 11th April 2005

We're off to the Arctic! By five o'clock tomorrow we shall be flying towards Canada and the start of the 2005 Scott Dunn Polar Challenge! The team is incredibly excited but looking forward to getting some sleep on the plane - our first good nights sleep all week! The last seven days have been a blur of last minute preparations and leaving parties - not a good mix (Have you tried using a sewing machine with a hang-over?!).

Luckily we have had plenty of help; from the wonderful Anita who kindly sewed all our logos onto our windsuits, to the ever-perceptive Dr Justin whose wise words have kept us calm in the face of ever-growing 'to do' lists.

In Pembrokeshire it seemed the whole region got involved in Tori's packing with every visitor to her parents house being presented with a needle and thread on arrival.

After an early morning rendevous in South London this morning we have finally managed to squeeze every last malt loaf and bottle of contact lens fluid into our allocated bags. Now all we have to do is get to the airport tomorrow.

It seems incredible that after nearly a year of training and planning we have arrived at this point. It has only been possible through the enthusiasm and generosity of so many wonderful people. We'll be thinking of you all as we stand at the start line in the snow in ten days time. Here's sending a big THANK YOU to all of you. We hope that through our daily updates on this webpage from the 22nd April you will be able to share in our adventure.

The Pink Lady ® PoleCats xx

Thursday 31st March 2005

With only three weeks to go until the Scott Dunn Polar Challenge begins, it was time to officially launch the Pink Lady^® PoleCats team. The press launch took place at the Royal Geographical Society, London, and in the photo-shoot afterwards, confused passers-by were introduced to the team as they dressed up in full Arctic gear to trek into Hyde Park!

Friday 18th March 2005

Looking up, wet snow slapped my face and the Arctic wind bit into my skin. Through squinting eyes I could see long lines of drifting snow sweeping along the ground infront of us. Tori, out infront, was almost obscured from sight by the heavy snow blizzard.........and this wasn't even the Arctic. No. This was a weekend in March on Camber Sands.

Its become customary for the team these days to head out to some part of the coutry each Friday for a good weekend tyre-dragging. The weight of two tyres tied to our racksacks is good training for dragging a 60 kilo sledge across the Arctic - well, we've seen Ranulph Fiennes do it on the telly so it must be good. Last weekend we criss-crossed Bracknell Forest and Windsor Park and the weekend before we went to Camber on the East Sussex coast where they laid on Arctic weather and snow just for us. At one point it was just us and Martin Young from the Hash House Harriers on the entire beach - thanks for stopping to talk to us Martin!!

This weekend we are heading to the New Forest, so if you are out and about and see three girls lugging tyres stop to say hello!

To watch a short film of Team Pink Lady ® training at Camber Sands Click here

Saturday 26th February 2005

By 6pm on Saturday afternoon three very nervous team members were putting the finishing touches to a white and silver snow-themed ball room. Guests would be arriving in little under an hour but Tori still had to do her hair, Sam was adjusting impossibly complicated underwear and Felicity hadn't even put on her dress.

Two hours later what had seemed an impossibility earlier that afternoon became a reality as over 200 friends, family, sponsors and supporters (looking incredibly elegant in their ball gowns and tuxedos) sat down to a luxurious three course meal. As the Laurent Perrier Champagne disappeared and the wine flowed, all pretence at sophistication soon dissapeared and the auction began. Bidding was fierce, whipped up by our fearless auctioneer Steve and reaching a peak at the final lot: An evening with the team, which fetched an incredible £800!

As our guests danced the night away, the team were left overwhelmed by the support and encouragement from everyone.Your generosity and enthusiasm blew us away. The evening raised an incredible £10,000!

The team are completely over the moon and would like to say a huge thankyou to everyone who made the event possible, especially Sarah, Emily and Jules of the 'Ball Committee'. The standard of service from the spectacular Sofitel St James was superb and we would like to say a special thank-you to Giles and staff for all their help (particularly for swapping the chairs umpteen times!!)

Tuesday 22nd February 2005

I saved Sams life at least a dozen times this weekend. I revived one or two climbers that I happened to find collapsed under some trees. And to top off the weekend I was drafted into a major rescue operation on the Sunday night to evacuate some walkers from a collapsed tunnel. This sort of thing tends to happen fairly regularly in a certain part of Devon.

Luckily none of it was for real.

We were taking part in a special expedition first aid course organised by Adventure First Aid at the Mountain Water Experience Centre in Devon. As well as pretending to be dead and having a variety of horrendous injuries, we spent the weekend learning how to deal with everything from frostbite and severe blood loss to broken limbs and unconciousness.

We came away having refreshed some very rusty skills, gained a whole host of new ones and sold an awful lot of raffle tickets! Many thanks to all the climbers, tour leaders, teachers, instructors and scout masters on the course with us for making it such a relaxed weekend and especially to Guy and Nick of Adventure First Aid for some invaluable training.

PS If any of you would like some more raffle tickets there are plenty left!!

Monday 7th February 2005

This week the team received some extra special mail that put a massive smile on their faces. We would like to share with you some of the fantastic messages and drawings that we received from some very special supporters at Bridgenorth Endowed School in Shropshire:

My tutor group (8CMA) have been so impressed to hear of your venture. We have been teaching 'ambitions' this month. We spent one lesson on your website and another watching the BBC Documentary. Some of the group wanted to make you good luck cards and letters so here they are. Love from us all, Claire xx

I think you are really brave to do this expedition! You must put a lot of hard work into the training! When I am older I would like to do an expedition like the one you are doing! Good Luck! Emma.

Drawing by Danielle Bodnieks and Hannah Davies.

I am Bethany Lloyd and I saw you three on the computer. It looks very hard for you over there. I love walking. I walk everywhere. My age is 12. Love Beth xx

Drawing by Holly Nimmock

I think it is amazing how a group of young women are attempting such a huge challenge. I think you are extremely brave and you must be working really hard to try and get fit and ready for the huge task ahead. Good luck and we all hope you do well. From Gemma K.

Monday 31st January 2005

The team have endured many sacrifices and humiliations during their training but last weeks training in Austria had to top the lot. Standing on a frozen lake in nothing but thermals and a down jacket all three girls looked glumly at a large rectangle cut in the ice. We watched as an instructor demonstrated the drill. He jumped into the icy water then dragged himself out with his poles. Stripping down to his underwear he rolled himself in the snow then began leaping energetically around the lake. Locals stopped on the nearby road to watch this semi-naked man running around in the snow like a lunatic. Now, it was our turn.

Tori stood at the edge of the rectangle. She was told to count to ten in welsh before she got out. Stoically Tori didn’t even pause before leaping into the black water. Emerging she began yelping strange strangled sounds. I thought she was having a fit – then realised she was counting in welsh as requested.

All three girls leapt into the water, running barefoot through the snow back to the tent to strip and warm up. Arctic bootcamp may be tough - but so are Team Pink Lady^®!

Monday 10th January 2005

Happy New Year to all our Feline Friends and fabulous supporters!

With only three months to go before the race starts in April the team really is on a final countdown. The three girls started the year as they meant to go on by spending New Years Eve in a small tent in the snow.Flying out to Norway the day after Boxing day the team spent their Christmas holidays learning how to cross country ski. Packing everything we would need for a four-day mini-expedition into three sledges that we hauled behind us, the team set off into the cold, dark, Norwegian forest for some training.

We celebrated New Years Eve with a small bottle of liqueur, two party poppers and an extra large pan of apple and custard!

Many thanks to David Nicholls who gallantly took on the team for their first foray out into the snow – we will always remember our New Years night ski (and the bruises)!

Wednesday 22nd December 2004

With a little help from our friends…

The festive season has been full of joy for the team thanks to the overwhelming support and determined efforts of some new found friends that have been busy raising money for the team and their two chosen charities. A particular thank you to Ryde School on the Isle of Wight that held a home clothes day in aid of the team and raised a phenomenal £250! Thanks also to Spencer and the staff at CHIS in Chailey that raised £50 by selling home baked cookies and cappuccinos – sounds like a very enjoyable way to raise money!

We’d also like to send a special thank you to Les and Francis Morgan who thought of us at the most difficult of times. The team are extremely touched by your kindness and encouragement.

To all our Feline Friends and fabulous supporters we wish you a very happy Christmas and a fun filled New Year. (Spare a thought for us on New Years Eve as you toast in 2005 – we will be in a very small tent on a very cold icy plateaux in Norway!)  The Pink Lady^® PoleCats x

Saturday 4th December 2004:
If you go down to the woods today

The shoppers at Sainsbury’s in Tonbridge were in for a big surprise as they checked out their goods on Saturday.

Mr Polar Bear prowled the checkouts handing out mints and heading up a team of volunteers. The staff at Sainsbury’s were more than happy to hand over their bag packing duties for the day and were excellent at drumming up custom for the team. Many thanks to Catherine, Martin, Andre, James, Michelle, Hilarie, Tash, Ben, Spencer, Jackie, Claire, Olivia, Peter and of course Mr Polar Bear who all did a fantastic job raising money and awareness for Team Pink Lady^® and their two charities.

Monday 29th November 2004: 

Meeting the Competition

With winter in full swing the team have been getting out into the hills for some vital cold weather training.

We travelled to Scotland sure that we would find bracing weather but were disappointed to have a lovely weekend under clear skies and blazing sunshine. So we headed to Wales …

Last weekend the team met the competition for the first time at an assessment weekend set up by the Scott Dunn Polar Challenge organizers.  Deep in the Brecon Becons all the teams were set a course and although it wasn’t a race, the competitive streak appeared in all of us! The team did well and romped home early despite settling fog and drizzly weather. Not bad on a diet of carrots and sunflower seeds!

Thursday 11th November 2004
Hungry...

Life is never dull in Team Pink Lady^®!

This week Tori locked up her chocolate bars, Felicity put her tea mug out to pasture and Sam gazed longingly at her last Double Whopper with bacon and cheese. The nutritional regime has kicked in and the girls cleared their cupboards of all temptation this weekend.

If you are in the supermarket this week look out for dejected-looking team members dragging themselves past the biscuits and towards the aisle of misery where they stock lentils and seeds (I know most of you don't go there but believe me it exists!).

Gone are the croissants and coffee for breakfast meetings and lo betide the weak-willed PoleCat who is spotted with a roast dinner on Sundays.

But it's not all bad news, we are allowed Baked Beans and salted popcorn, so if you know of any recipes combining the two, they will be gratefully received!

Friday 17th September 2004:

The Pink Lady^®PoleCats are Everywhere!

More and more people are beginning to find out about Team Pink Lady^® following recent media coverage. Have you spotted us anywhere?

The team have had news features in the Western Mail (Wales’ National Newspaper), the Kent & Sussex Courier, the East Anglian Daily Times, the Western Telegraph (Pembrokeshire) as well as several features on radio broadcasts.

On Thursday 2nd September, Tori and Sam traveled to BBC Television Centre to connect to the Cardiff Studio for a ‘live’ interview with Felicity Evans on the ‘Good Morning Wales’ show, BBC Radio Wales. The team have also featured on the KM FM (Kent Radio), Radio Pembrokeshire News and BBC Radio Suffolk. 

If you were in last weekend, you may have even seen a Pink Lady^® PoleCat or three springing across your TV screen on Meridian News!

Click here to read some of our exciting news stories.

Thursday 19th August 2004: 

Tori's Svalbard Training

Tori arrived back from Svalbard on Friday 13th August having carried out a reconnaisance expedition for BSES Expeditions. Svalbard is one of a group of three islands collectively known as Spitsbergen and is situated 78 degrees North in the Arctic Ocean.

This visit formed the first of several overseas trips that will prepare each of the girls for the Scott Dunn Polar Challenge. Whilst the temperatures were not as extreme as those they will experience during the race next year, the visit served as a useful reminder as to what life in the Arctic is like, and helped to build up a more accurate picture of the challenges that will be faced over the next 8 months.

Tori was able to do some basic fitness training on steep and uneven terrain carrying a large backpack and had to adapt quickly to living safely outdoors in a cold and damp environment. When asked what were the key things she had learnt from this trip, she said "It's how quickly you get a runny nose and sore lips that I'd forgotten about!"

Friday 13th August 2004: Say Cheese! Photoshoot

If you were jogging in one of London's main parks early Tuesday morning you may have seen three glamorous looking girls stalking the grounds! Rushing a takeaway breakfast of chocolate croissants and café lattes the team were in the park before work taking publicity photographs. In our distinctive t-shirts and dragging a tyre each we are easy to spot - so if you see us next time give us a wave!!

Team Pink Lady^® x