Around 80 adventurous people in fancy dress who were blindfolded and dropped at a secret location raised an amazing £10,000 for St Elizabeth Hospice. The 21 teams were sponsored to find their way back, but no money, phones or maps were allowed.
They met at the Butt and Oyster pub at Pin Mill, Ipswich, at around 9.30am on Saturday March 20th, where the event called the Great Xscape started.
Organiser Rachael Mittell, of St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “We dropped the teams off in a country lane near East Bergholt but they had no idea that was where they were going. Some made it back by cadging a lift, another team walked back 15 miles but the most spectacular return was a team who arrived back in a police car sirens blazing and lights flashing.” That team was Mizog’s Babes who had blagged a free bus ride to Ipswich town centre and then walked into the police station and persuaded PCSO Geoff Plumb to give them a lift – all in the name of charity.
The first team back was Swagtastic Four - made up of two couples from Felixstowe. They returned in just 39 minutes after knocking on doors in East Bergholt and asking a shocked householder if he would give them a lift in his people carrier. Cassandra Aitchison, of the winning team, said: “We were a bit worried at first that his car wouldn’t start but we got there in the end. He said he was happy to help the Hospice. It was an excellent event. Thank you that man, his name was Richard Cole.”
Teams from local firms included colleagues from: Ipswich Building Society’s Hadleigh branch, insurance firm Willis, Legal and General, Highcliff Veterinary Practice, the Mediterranean Shipping Company, Chesterfield Drive Surgery, Barker Gotelee Solicitors and Breheny Civil Engineers. Groups of friends and relatives also took part.
A number of local companies kindly gave their services for free. Steve Lomas, of Deben Inns, organised a buffet at the Butt and Oyster pub and allowed use of his premises and car park. G M Travel and Harlequin Travel provided coaches while TMAC Wireless Solutions provided mobile phones. East of England Co-op kindly donated the contents of the packs for each team.
Rachael said: “I would like to say a big thankyou to all those companies which supported the Great Xscape and all the people that sponsored the teams. We were delighted with the amount raised.”
It is the second time St Elizabeth Hospice, which is based in Foxhall Road, Ipswich and relies on public support and fundraising, has organised the Great Xscape event and it is set to go ahead next year from a different mystery location.
Top three teams
1. Swagtastic 4 39 minutes
2. The Wrong Turn 42 minutes
3. Fields of Suffolk 44 minutes
Last place were the Woodland Wombats who took 3 hours and 44 minutes!!
The best fancy dress prize went to Mystery Inc who dressed up as characters from Scooby Doo (see photo above).
There are more photos and videos on our Facebook page and short videos have been uploaded to youtube.
