The Awareness Day or UK1, as it is known by the Expedition organisers, Wilderness Expertise, took place at West Ham United Foundation’s home at Becton, London E6 on 7th January 2015.

It was the first opportunity for the Expedition leader, Angie White, to meet the young trekkers of West Ham and vice versa. It was a day of getting to know each other and for Angie to introduce to the team members the outline, and in some cases, the detail of what to expect of Peru, of camping, the equipment they would need and about the climate and trekking at high altitude.

Lists of responsibilities were drawn up, like cooking, shopping, equipment security, navigation etc. and individuals appointed to mastermind the researching of the requirements and duties of each. All had a go at and were challenged by the rudiments of camping, pitching a tent in 20 minutes, sorting out the cooking pots and lighting the camp stove in a gale.

All agreed that these skills will need to be perfected when they head off to North Wales in May!

The group was then taken through a re-run of what they had previously chosen to do to raise their share of the funds for the Expedition and divided, according to boroughs, into four sub-groups who will plan events and projects to take place between now and July.

The all-day meeting ended on a high note of anticipation and excitement.