A team of 10 adventurers set off for Lapland last week and a 250km Arctic expedition which will raise £10,000 for The Children’s Centre. The group had a surprise when they turned up at Ronaldsway as they were greeted by a team of huskies which were so excited they must have thought they were going on the Lapland trip too!

However, their canine cousins in Norway will be the ones pulling sleds to allow The Children’s Centre Arctic Challenge team to complete their amazing expedition. It began in the Arctic city of Tromso on March 24 and they went straight to the Dog Sled Centre to meet their husky companions. The team’s first night was spent in a traditional Lavvo - a type of Scandanavian tent - surrounding a roaring fire. The week long expedition will take them across the rolling highlands and deep forests of Lapland, over the border from Norway into Sweden, and on to their final destination - the world famous Ice Hotel in Jukkasjarvi. Along the way they will have a chance to see the Northern Lights too.

Mark Eastham, Fundraising Co-ordinator for The Children’s Centre, said:
“It promises to be a fantastic trip, and everyone at The Children’s Centre is looking forward to hearing about their adventure when they return to the Island. The team have trained hard for the expedition, including training sessions on the Island using wheeled sleds pulled by huskies. We would like to thank all of the team - and those who have supported their training and fundraising efforts - for all of their hard work. The funds raised are greatly appreciated and will go to support our charitable projects across the Island.”

The team was due to complete the trek on March 31 - but due to the remoteness of their location it has not been possible for them to use mobile phones or the internet to give updates about their progress. This is the fourth year that The Children’s Centre has organised overseas adventure challenges - but the first time that the Island’s leading charity for families and children has run a trip to Lapland. Over the years the challenges have raised more than £100,000 for The Children’s Centre’s charitable projects such as Mobex, Out2Play, Philip Christian Centre and Child Contact Centre.