Four Local Ladies to Walk 100km to Help Fight Poverty

Four friends are banding together to walk 100km together in under 30hrs this March in Whākatane, against the odds.

Janet Broome-Nicholson (26) is a participant of the Teach First NZ program teaching Te Reo Māori, Serene Rountree (23) is a mother of one and Kāpiti Photo School student and lives with Gemma Macann (31) who is a leader at Ngatiawa River Monastery, and Liz McGimpsey (25) a breastfeeding mum to two kids under two, hails from Shannon. They call themselves 'Operation Friends'.

The women are part of the Urban Vision community which is a missional order of the Wellington Diocese. "We are all pretty social justice oriented, and we've been impressed with Oxfam's work in the most vulnerable places; they don't just do hand-outs, they give people a hand-up; micro-enterprises empowering women, working with locals to source drinking water" says Macann.

The Trailwalker involves training for 5 months, raising $2500 sponsorship along the way, getting a support crew together and physically and mentally challenging themselves on the actual 100km walk. Other challenges include; finding child minders during training, working out suitable breastfeeding locations, and studying full-time.

In November last year, Newtown born Janet moved up to Auckland for her TeachNZ study. Gemma has created a training programme with individualised calendars to help keep each other in sync, inspired and tick the weekday and longer weekend walking goals off as they go. This Saturday the local girls are excited to hit the training walk Oxfam is hosting. It begins at Mahara gallery in Waikanae and follows 22km of the Te Araroa walk to Paekakariki.

These four ladies want to complete the challenge with as much integrity to the values of Oxfam as possible, including dressing in clothing made in Aotearoa, New Zealand. "The purpose of the Oxfam is to raise money for alleviating poverty in third world countries, the irony being we have to purchase outdoor gear made in countries who do not treat their workers with dignity and respect, and only contribute to their state of oppression and poverty" says Liz. She recently approached Levin's outdoor clothing manufacturer Swazi, who showed interest in supporting this endeavour.

Gemma and Serene who are second-timers, reflected that in the 2014 Tāupo 100km walk their team dynamic was a surprising factor. "We need to practise walking in the dark, cos when you're dead tired and it's pitch black at 3am; a tiny headlamp and your spirit is the only thing keeping you from 'the dark night of the soul' which strains each person on the team at different times" says Gemma. Walking 80km in 16 hours over two days is the longest and hardest leg of their training.

The team are looking for financial sponsorship, by busking locally, and putting on Koha Concerts in February and March. "Making music is a big passion of ours, so we're using what we love to get people passionate about world justice issues" Macann says of their fundraising concert idea. "We didn't want to just do a sausage sizzle or sell chocolate bars this time, as I think people can tell when you're heart is in it or not" she says.

Oxfam Trailwalker New Zealand is part of the International Series with an incredible 16 events being held around the world in 11 countries. Over the years, the event has raised more than $160 million internationally for Oxfam's life-saving work.

Rountree and Macann's band 'The Stolen Roses' will be performing in the first Koha Concert lineup at Ngatiawa River Monastery, Reikorangi Valley on the 17th February at 8pm.

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