Your legs will hurt. Your spirit will soar… Be part of the world’s greatest team challenge – Oxfam Ireland’s TRAILTREKKER 2012
Your legs will hurt. Your spirit will soar…
For all those looking for a rewarding challenge, Oxfam Ireland is now recruiting teams for TRAILTREKKER 2012, an inspirational non-stop 50km/100km team event described by participants as “tough”, “exhilarating” and “amazing”.
From complete novices to seasoned hill-walkers and adventure race participants, teams of two and four people will take on the tough but rewarding challenge through the Mourne Mountains to Carlingford on September 1st and 2nd. Teams of four will commit to raising €2,000, the equivalent of providing temporary shelter for 20 families in an emergency, and teams of two will commit to raising €1,000, the amount needed to provide an irrigation scheme that supplies safe drinking water to 1,000 people.
Each team has the option of completing a distance of 50km or 100km. Teams competing in the 50km event will be expected to complete the distance in less than 16 hours and those registered for the 100km distance will be expected to finish in under 36 hours.
Oxfam Ireland’s TRAILTREKKER is part of a growing worldwide phenomenon of 15 events in 12 countries. Supported by global sponsor, State Street Corporation, the Oxfam Trailtrekker and Trailwalker events are a unique fund-raising effort that supports Oxfam’s mission to empower individuals, communities and organisations to create a future that is secure, just and free from poverty. William Slattery, State Street Executive Vice President and Country Head of Ireland, said the Oxfam Trailtrekker and Trailwalker events around the world unite the passion of their employees.
“Staying true to one of our values—‘Global Force, Local Citizen’—our sponsorship makes us a global force for good in our local communities by contributing towards Oxfam’s mission to end world poverty,” said Slattery. “State Street sponsored its first Trailtrekker event in 1999 and since then, thousands of employees around the world have participated in these endurance events, as walkers and as volunteers. Last year, 70 of our employees took part in the TRAILTREKKER 2011 event and we look forward to having even more of our Irish employees participate this year.”
TRAILTREKKER is now in its fourth year in Ireland and Oxfam Ireland’s Chief Executive, Jim Clarken, said that State Street Corporation makes a very important contribution to Oxfam’s work through this partnership.
“We are very fortunate to have been working with State Street for a number of years and we are delighted that this year State Street has come on board as the first global sponsor of Oxfam’s 15 Trailtrekker and Trailwalker events, widely considered one of the world’s toughest charity team challenges.”
“State Street’s Willie Slattery joined me on a field visit to our programmes in Tanzania last year. There, he witnessed how State Street’s support is helping to bring hope and deliver real change to lives of people affected by poverty.”
“State Street has been far more than a sponsor but also a genuine active partner in all elements of the TRAILTREKKER event.”
Other partners that help to make TRAILTREKKER a success include 53 Degrees North, O’Briens, Louth County Council, Newry and Mourne District Council and Down District Council.
For more details about signing up for TRAILTREKKER 2012, call 01 635 0403 (ROI) and 028 9089 5972 (NI) or visit www.oxfamireland.org/trek.
About State Street Corporation
State Street Corporation (NYSE: STT) is one of the world’s leading providers of financial services to institutional investors including investment servicing, investment management and investment research and trading. With $23.2 trillion in assets under custody and administration and $2 trillion* in assets under management at March 31, 2012, State Street operates in 29 countries and more than 100 geographic markets. For more information, visit State Street’s web site at www.statestreet.com.
*This AUM includes the assets of the SPDR Gold Trust (approx. $68 billion as of March 31, 2012), for which State Street Global Markets, LLC, an affiliate of State Street Global Advisors serves as the marketing agent.
ENDS
For more information contact:
Sorcha Nic Mhathúna
Oxfam Ireland’s Communications Executive
+353 (0)1 6350 422 / +353 (0)87 23 2040
sorcha.nicmhathuna@oxfamireland.org
Diarmaid Walsh
Murray Consultants
+353 (0)1 498 0300
dwalsh@murrayconsult.ie
NOTES TO EDITORS
• Registration for the event is €200/£200 per team and participants must also commit to raising a minimum of €2,000/£2,000 sponsorship per team.
• The Oxfam TRAILTREKKER course is a specially designed route that starts in Newcastle, Co. Down, before traversing the Mourne Mountains, the Ring of Gullion and the Cooley Peninsula and finishing in the medieval village of Carlingford, Co. Louth. This cross-border route encompasses some of Ireland’s most stunning landscapes and is steeped in Irish mythology.
• Since TRAILTREKKER began in 1981 in Hong Kong, over 32,000 teams (128,000 individuals) have collectively walked over 11.5 million kilometres (the same distance as walking around the world 287 times!), becoming great ambassadors for Oxfam’s work and raising over €70 million/£61 million.
• In 2012 over 22,000 people will collectively walk over 2.2 million kilometres (the same distance as walking around the world 55 times!), becoming great ambassadors for Oxfam’s work and aiming to raise over €13.7 million/£11.3 million worldwide.
• Money raised through TRAILTREKKER allows Oxfam to carry out long-term work to fight poverty in hundreds of communities in east, central and southern Africa. Fundraising efforts allow Oxfam to respond to emergencies by providing disaster relief and also to campaign for changes in politics that make the world safer and fairer for everyone.
• A percentage of the funds raised through TRAILTREKKER will be invested in the maintenance and upkeep of the Mourne Way.
• Oxfam Ireland’s TRAILTREKKER is kindly supported by global sponsor State Street.
• Oxfam Ireland is a member of Oxfam International, a confederation of 15 Oxfams worldwide working in 92 countries. For more information visit www.oxfamireland.org.
What some of the 2011 participants had to say about TRAILTREKKER:
Rebecca Fleming (State Street team IPPT4000) Celbridge, Co. Kildare
“Thanks a million to everybody for making TRAILTREKKER such a great event. Well-organised and challenging!”
Michael Kinahan (An Lú Abú) Navan, Co Meath
“An awesome event. It couldn’t be done without the amazing support crew, super volunteers and wonderful organisation. Elated.”
Gavin Beasley (The Delusionals) Walkinstown, Dublin 12
“Having completed TRAILTREKKER in 26 hours and 31 minutes, I can easily say it was the toughest thing I have ever done. An extremely well-organised and excellent event.”
Austin Mulvenna (Cross County Ramblers) Belfast, Northern Ireland
“It was equally gruelling and exhilarating… an amazing event all round!”
Stephen Wallace (No al Monte Moderno) Lisburn, Northern Ireland
“I can’t walk! Blisters galore! Really pleased we did it.”
Marian Corry (Tempo Tigers) Tempo, Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
“This is one event I would recommend to anyone. The feeling of elation when you cross that finish line is amazing.”
Maria McCarter (Oxfam Strollers) Omagh, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland
“It was a very tough challenge as expected but that added to our sense of achievement. Oxfam Ireland – a great charity, making a difference for the better across the world.”
Helen Jackson (Adventure Before Dementia) Australia
“We enjoyed it very much even though the weather was awful. We are glad that we made the journey from Australia.”
Alastair McKinley (These aren’t the droids you’re looking for) Lisburn, Northern Ireland
“The huge effort in organising and running such an event is clearly evident.”