Pet shop boss heads for desert challenge (From Wharfedale Observer)

Pet shop boss heads for desert challenge

2:29pm Sunday 30th September 2007 in Local news By Jim Jack

PET shop owner Andrew Parry isn't sure any more why he agreed to swap his work in Otley for a gruelling hike through the Arabian Desert next Spring - but he did.

Granted, the thought of helping a deserving cause -charity Dogs for the Disabled - played a big part, but the 45-year-old also confesses to experiencing a rush of blood to the head'.

Now in the middle of a gruelling training programme, he is starting to realise how tough the 60-mile trek from the Dead Sea to the ancient red rock city of Petra, in Jordan, could be.

Mr Parry, who with his father owns Petwise in Orchard Gate, will be one of a group of around 40 fundraisers who will fly out on March 9, 2008 to embark on the Arabian adventure.

He said: "I'm doing a 60 mile walk across the Arabian Desert and I don't really know why, I think it must be because I'm barmy! I think I've just reached 45 and somebody has hit me on the head!

"It's for Dogs for the Disabled which is an excellent charity that does a lot of good work but doesn't get too much publicity, so I'm looking to raise as much in the way of donations as possible for them.

"They were looking for people to do this walk and some information came through the post and I just thought yeah, go for it. I need an excuse to get fit, so let's have a go'.

"But it's a bigger challenge than I thought at the time. The training schedule is for six months and is pretty detailed. You have a different target to reach each month and they recommend gym work, running, swimming and of course, mainly, walking - particularly hill walking.

"We get a day to acclimatise when we arrive and then it should take us four and a half days of walking to do it. We'll be carrying all our own gear ourselves and sleeping in big bedouin tents along the way.

"The temperatures will be quite extreme, around 25 degrees Centigrade during the day but down to minus ten at night, so that's going to be interesting.

"But I'm really looking forward to the actual scenery, I've heard so much about Petra and I think it's going to be spectacular."

Mr Parry, like all the walkers, has a minimum sponsorship target of £2,500 to reach but hopes to raise substantially more than that before the December fundraising deadline.

To that end he has organised a special fundraising day at the pet shop for Saturday, October 6.

Anyone who would like to sponsor him can do so at the store or by calling 01943 851008. Dogs for the Disabled trains dogs to help disabled people live more independently. More details on the charity can be found at www.dogsforthedisabled.org.