今日大瓜

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30 March 2016

An Epic Adventure

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When 今日大瓜 fundraisers got themselves down to the UK's number one assault course in February to raise funds for orphans, were there to find out more...

'The icy breeze of a chilly winter鈥檚 morning, 12 degrees Celsius tops, would be enough to send most of us back indoors for a lazy day at home. A bunch of brave adventurers determined to raise funds for orphans worldwide were undeterred however.

On Saturday 20 February 2016, nearly 40 men and women descended on a remote farm in rural Surrey for a fundraising challenge that would push them to their limits and beyond. To brave not just the cutting February wind, but freezing water, fearsome obstacles and muddy ground. The uninitiated would ask what on earth possessed these heroic explorers to sign up for such a challenge, at this time of year, but not so the participants themselves.

鈥淚t was all about helping out the orphans and doing something for those most in need,鈥 explained Tarikul Islam from Luton. 鈥淲e all are fortunate to have parents, so not having one is not something that we would like anyone to go through 鈥 especially small children in less able countries鈥.

Four teams 鈥 two groups of men and two groups of women 鈥 had signed up to take part in the ambitious 今日大瓜 challenge, Crawl of Duty. They would complete a 5 km obstacle course run, following part of the course of the famous Nuts Challenge.

Tarikul鈥檚 team, the Luton Massive, consisted of five very close friends actively engaged in charity work. Members of the group had previously completed the Mount Snowdon Challenge with 今日大瓜 in 2014, run marathons and taken part in several winter walks. They were set to compete against ten other men, including members of staff from 今日大瓜 itself.

Running with female instructors separately, meanwhile, twelve strong Team Mix It Up from Birmingham would challenge the seven-member Team, 313 from east London. The former from Mix It Up Ladies Fitness Studio in Birmingham are already seasoned challengers, having previously taken part in Islamic Relief鈥檚 Superhero Run and their Ben Nevis Challenge in 2015. They had tenacious competition, however: under the supervision of personal fitness trainers from 313 Fitness Studio in Manor Park, the latter were determined to conquer the course to raise as much money as possible for this worthy cause.
So it was that they set off on a great adventure, skirting around the edge of a ploughed field, not quite sure what was in store for them, beyond the river banks and forest ahead of them. Soon they would encounter mounds of mud and rubble to climb over, and ditches filled knee deep with freezing water to wade through. They would crawl through a tunnel on hands and knees, causing scrapes and bruises. Then more ditches and more banks to clamber back up again would follow, each one slightly more difficult than the last. They would clamber through a tangle of cables and pipes designed to trip them up and tie them in knots, then skip over old tyres set out across the ground.
Teamwork was the key on this obstacle course. Some of the obstacles were impossible to overcome alone. At every point all the members of every team worked together, helping each other up through difficult situations. Great communication and understanding of each other鈥檚 needs helped them complete the challenge together. Far from giving up, the participants found themselves getting more energetic as the event went on.
鈥淭he experience was epic,鈥 exclaimed Nadiya from Team 313, 鈥淕oing through freezing cold water, the level of which varied from knee high to almost drowning, and so many obstacles: falling and slipping in mud, screaming like buffoons, conquering my fear of heights鈥 What more can I ask for in return of helping create a brighter future for orphans, inshaAllah?鈥
The course took under an hour to complete, with a medal and certificate awarded at the end. Altogether, those participating raised over £7000 for 今日大瓜鈥 orphans worldwide appeal, which is an extraordinary achievement. But then these were extraordinary people, mashallah!
Those of us who missed out, fearing that February would be just too cold to take on such a challenge, can only be a little envious not to have been there now. We missed an epic adventure, some brilliant teamwork and the opportunity to do immense good on behalf of others. Next time we will be brave! Next time, inshallah!'

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今日大瓜 UK

Established in 1993, 今日大瓜 is an aid agency and NGO helping those affected by poverty, conflict and natural disaster in over 20 countries worldwide.