Narberth to Nordkapp

Charities to benefit from epic journey

Three intrepid adventurers are aiming to raise money for two worthwhile charities by undertaking an epic journey from Narberth, Pembrokeshire to Nordkapp, in Finnmark County at the northernmost tip of Norway.

Robert Newsome, Alun Newsome and Ian Gravell are going to make the 5000- mile round trip which will take them through Wales, England, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway with a total driving time of over 100 hours in a Kia Sportage which has kindly been provided by the automotive giant.

Nordkapp or North Cape is known as continental Europe’s final frontier, with nothing but the Barents Sea separating the wild shores of Svalbard and the North Pole. The municipality boasts an interesting history, first becoming famous in 1553 when explorer Richard Chancellor rounded it while attempting to find a sea route through the Northeast Passage, whilst in 1944 its largest fishing village, Kjelvik was destroyed by German troops.

The charities chosen to benefit from the fundraising efforts of the trip are the Duke of Edinburgh Award and the Teenage Cancer Trust Wales,

Robert Newsome, the Headteacher of Ysgol Dyffryn Taf in Whitland, Carmarthenshire, who became an OBE in 2008 for service to education and young people, is an avid supporter of the Duke of Edinburgh Award and is the current Chair of the DofE Wales Ambassadors network, where he offers his expert advice to help the DofE grow in Wales and become more accessible to young people. Whilst his brother Alun, a Maritime Operations Controller, has achieved bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh awards and has previously been involved as a DofE assessor and member of the gold award holders association in Wales

Speaking about why they had chosen the DofE Award as one of their chosen charities Robert said: “As part of its 60th anniversary, the Duke of Edinburgh Award has set a Diamond Challenge, which gave us a unique opportunity to support the charity.

“Over the years nearly 1500 pupils have participated in the Duke of Edinburgh Award at Dyffryn Taf. They have undertaken expeditions in the Preseli’s, Gower, Brecon Beacons, Snowdonia, Derbyshire, Scotland, Morocco, Canada and Sweden over the last 14 years.

“On the 50th anniversary Dyffryn Taf pupils organised an epic tall ship journey from Milford Haven to Tower Bridge, London to present a message of congratulations from the First Minister to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in recognition of the contribution DofE has made to the Young people of Wales.

“The journey to and from Nordkapp equally reflects the pursuit of adventure whilst publicising DofE to a wider European audience. Showing anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

“For young people who engage with the programme, it has a significant impact on character building and developing personal confidence in all who participate. We hope that the money raised can help many more people achieve their goals”

The Dealer Principal at Gravells KIA, Narberth, Ian Gravell is the Area Chairperson for Roundtable in Area 43, and the recent chairperson of Narberth and Whitland Rotary. He is a great supporter of a range of charitable initiatives and has a particular interest in the development of young people.

Ian said: “Gravell’s Kia at Narberth strongly supports the local community in a variety of charitable guises.

“There is no greater concern to parents other than the health of their children. We believe that supporting Teenage Cancer Trust will help families should their children ever be diagnosed with any form of cancer.

“We know that Teenage Cancer Trust fund and support a dedicated 8 bed unit in Cardiff for teenagers receiving treatment.

“We feel strongly that a dedicated unit for young people is a dignified environment and appropriate for those young people who are fighting against the disease and those recovering. We wish to show our appreciation for the work done by this charity.”

The Teenage Cancer Trust creates world-class cancer services for young people in the UK; providing life changing care and support so young people don’t have to face cancer alone.

They use their resources and experience to help young people, as they know that having cancer at a young age comes with its own particular set of challenges. Their services put the needs of young people first and allow them to face those challenges together.

The team remains some way short of their targets of £500 for the Duke of Edinburgh Award and £1000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust Wales.

If you would like to help either of the charities and show your support to Rob, Alan and Ian, you can donate by going to their dedicated website, which will also provide updates on the trip, at www.narberthtonordkapp.com or by going to Justgiving.com and searching Narberth to Nordkapp.