Our MD Sandra Georgeson recently took part in an amazing charity trek challenge to the ancient city of Petra in Jordan to raise funds for Junior Achievement Isle of Man (JA IOM). In this blog she shares her memories of an amazing experience for a great cause.

“Visiting Petra had been on my bucket list for a long time, so when I heard about the JA IOM trek I knew I couldn’t miss the chance to realise my ambition, and at the same time raise funds for a charity that I truly value.

“It was an amazing experience to walk through beautiful landscapes, and learn about Petra’s history from a local guide. Most of the tourism and travel media coverage we see about the city tends to focus on the iconic Treasury (a tomb known locally Al Khazneh) which is breathtaking, but there’s much more to the city too. To be able to visualise how people lived thousands of years ago, and see the remains of the main street of the city, was incredible.

“I have many memorable moments, and most of them revolve around the group as a whole. Three experiences stand out. Visiting Petra one evening when the road to the Treasury was candlelit, chatting at our camp whilst eating fabulous food prepared by locals, and cramming into the back of a pick-up truck for a bumpy but thrilling nighttime drive back to camp. I’ll remember the truck ride long after the bruises have faded! Team spirit in the group made the experience extra special. Even when the wind blew away the flysheet on my tent one evening, I saw the positive side because it meant I had more time to see the spectacular night sky.

“After two days trekking, the second camp had a portable shower tent available to us for a couple hours. I’ve never enjoyed a shower so much – even if it was only for 5 minutes! All in all, it was a fabulous adventure, shared with a brilliant team, for a very good cause. In fact, my only regret is that I didn’t take part in one of JA’s treks sooner. They are so well-organised, and I would definitely recommend taking part to anyone who is looking for a rewarding personal challenge while also supporting the work JA does to help young people across the Island. It’s a charity that relies heavily on fundraising, so every pound donated makes a difference to the pupils and students who benefit from money management, workplace skills and entrepreneurship programmes in primary and secondary schools.”

“Finally, I must say a big thank you to the fantastic JA IOM team and my fellow trekkers, our guides, and of course everyone who generously donated to my and the team’s JustGiving pages.”

If you wish to donate to Sandra’s JustGiving page, please click here.

JA IOM has already announced details of its 2024 Charity Trek which will be in Nepal from October 26^th to November 3^rd (click here for details).