Hotel manager at Liverpool Stonedale Park and Stoneycroft Travelodge hotels, Shaun Ward, is taking on a seven day survival challenge, inspired by his favourite TV programme ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get me out of Here’ in Formby Woods near Liverpool. Shaun is taking on the survival challenge in a bid to raise £1,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support who Travelodge have chosen as their Charity of the Year and in memory of his father who died from cancer 14 years ago.
Liverpudlian Shaun, aged 28, who has one daughter, is heading into the 500-acre woodland that was first planted 100 years ago without any creature comforts to take on a series of seven daring ‘wood trial’ challenges that includes: eating bugs, starting a fire without matches, and undertaking a treasure hunt though the woods to find extra food. His only company for the week will be the wildlife of Formby Woods, which includes the rare Red Squirrel which only lives in 11 other locations throughout the UK.
Shaun’s survival kit includes: seven tins of beans & noodles, a mess tin, a stove for cooking, a sleeping bag, a video camera and water. As part of his wood trials Shaun will have the opportunity to win additional luxuries such as dinner with a colleague and extra beans and noodles.
The daily wood trials have been designed by Shaun’s brother, Brian Ward, an ex-Royal Marine, who works as a receptionist at Liverpool Exchange Street Travelodge.
Brian spent five years in the Royal Marines before joining Military School as an instructor where he taught survival skills – and he will be using all his expertise of the great outdoors to make the challenges as difficult as possible.
Brian will visit his brother each day to set a ‘Formby Woods Tucker trial’ and other than these visits, Shaun will have no other interaction with the outside world, other than a mobile phone with no credit so that he can emergency calls if necessary.
Listed below are Shaun’s Wood Tucker trials for the next seven days:
- Construct a waterproof shelter to be used as camp for the week, using only natural materials.
- Start a fire only using natural materials, and cook dinner on the fire.
- Formby Woods Treasure Map Challenge: armed with a basic map, follow a set of clues positioned throughout the depths of Formby Woods to find extra goodies such as beans and noodles.
- Formby Woods Tucker Breakfast: eat a meal comprised of bugs and insects.
- Travelodge Challenge Day: complete a number of tasks set by other Liverpool Travelodge hotel managers, including making and wearing underwear made only from natural materials.
- Wilson Day: recreate the famous ‘Wilson’ scene from Castaway, and record it on the video camera. Castaway, starring Tom Hanks, is about a man who finds himself marooned on a deserted island following a plane crash. His only company is a volleyball, which he paints a face on and calls Wilson.
- Formby Woods - Born Survivor: strike down camp and leave no evidence of any human presence.
Shaun Ward, Travelodge Hotel Manager at Liverpool Stonedale Park and Stoneycroft said: “I love a good challenge and as I am an avid fan of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here, I thought it would be a great idea to replicate my favourite programme in Formby Woods to help raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.
“Being out there alone in the woods is going to be incredibly tough for me and the weather forecast doesn’t look good either. I am very nervous about the challenges my brother has got lined up for me. There is no doubt it is going to be a very tough seven days but I am absolutely determined to see it through right to the very end.
“Like thousands of families, my family have been personally affected by cancer, and this unique challenge is the perfect way of raising as much money as possible for Macmillan Cancer Support.”
Sally Hill, Account Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support said: “This is a very impressive feat, and we’re so grateful for Shaun’s support. Macmillan believes that no one should face cancer alone and with all of us working together, and with the support of Travelodge, we can help ensure no one will. We wish him the best of luck”
This challenge is just one of many taking place across Travelodge hotels this year. Recently, a Travelodge team climbed Ben Nevis and built a Travelodge room at the summit, including room walls, the Travelodge Dreamer bed, a duvet, a sheet with four pillows, a chair and a picture, raising more than £60,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support in the process.
Donations can be made at: http://www.justgiving.com/shaun-ward2