Vetlife set for £15k thanks to challenge efforts

A group of vet professionals has raised £15,000 for Vetlife after completing a 20-mile hiking challenge in the Lake District.

Veterinary Voices Hiking Group took on the Ullswater Way Challenge to boost funds for the charity during its #ActiveOctober campaign.

Co-founded in 2021 by Robyn Lowe and Paul Horwood and garnering support from PetsApp and Norbrook, Veterinary Voices Hiking Group had already undertaken a number of challenges before it took on the hike around Ullswater as 2024’s finale.

Challenge

Veterinary and non-veterinary members started the Cumrbian challenge at 6:30am at the water’s edge at Pooley Bridge, and spent the next 10 hours hiking the route.

Along the way they met another fund-raising team, Maria Mylne, Mary Hall, Chris Burn and Callum McRoberts, who were in the area during their cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats in memory of their colleague Kirsty. The Ullswater challenge led to participants raising £4,600, and Linnaeus and IVC both agreed to match the fund-raising up to a total of £5,000, tripling the group’s efforts.

Veterinary Voices Hiking Group has therefore raised £38,000 since forming. Donations to ongoing fund-raising can be made on the JustGiving page.