A GP is preparing for a challenging Arctic expedition to raise funds for Stockton’s Butterwick Hospice.
Dr Matt Garget, of Eppleby, aims to raise £3,600 to help ensure the hospice can continue to provide specialist care for those who need it.
The Butterwick Hospice’s work in improving the quality of life for those with a progressive life limiting illness, and those close to them, relies largely on donations.
Dr Garget is raising sponsorship to take part in an ultimate survival challenge, spending one week living in sub-zero temperatures 150km south of the Arctic Circle.
“I’ve been privileged to see first-hand the amazing work that the Butterwick Hospice does in the local communities,” said Dr Garget. “So I was delighted to be accepted for the Arctic Challenge to help support it.”
In March 2019 he’ll receive training in how to stay alive in such an extreme environment, then immediately put his new skills to the test.
He added: “The first part of the challenge is about adjusting to life in the extreme environment and learning how to get around, find food, light fires and build shelters.”
Then he will be cross-country skiing, snow shoeing and snowmobiling. For dinner he will be ice-fishing and lighting a fire to cook anything he manages to catch.
Accommodation will range from a self-constructed shelter to a hole in the snow.
“The Butterwick has been an invaluable resource to many of my patients and their families, and it’s also a wonderful resource for medical professionals in the area,” said Dr Garget.
Having pledged to raise such an ambitious sum, Dr Garget is arranging a series of fundraising events. All money raised will help to safeguard the exceptional level of specialist care and support provided by the Butterwick Hospice to local patients and their families.
To find out more or sponsor his Arctic challenge, visit: http://bit.ly/DrMatttotheArctic
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
