Horse that went to Antarctica
By Kirsten Gray
THE CHAS logo has found its way to some of the most extreme places in the world — and raised money for our appeal along the way.
 And it’s all thanks to a retired nursery teacher from South
Queensferry, Gwenneth Williamson.
Many years ago, Queensferry Parish Church — where Gwenneth is a member — received a presentation of decorative felt banners from
an American church.
Noticing they’d begun to deteriorate, in 1996 Gwenneth signed up for a banner-making course.
Since then, under her expert instruction, church members have made countless hangings to celebrate different seasons and events.
Impressed
So when the Woman’s Guild choir held a concert last autumn to raise money for CHAS, Gwenneth took it upon herself to produce a banner featuring the charity’s logo.
After the concert, the Guild presented the banner to the CHAS representatives.
They were so impressed they hung it in their Edinburgh office.
Then, in January, Gwenneth was called by CHAS fund-raising manager Pippa
Robeson, who explained that one of their fund-raisers, Bob Tomlinson, was travelling to Antarctica the following month.
Bob has always been fascinated by Scott of the Antarctic and everything to do with the South Pole, so his family got together to give him the once-in-a-lifetime trip as a birthday present.
Bulky
But, ever the keen CHAS man, he wanted to take something to represent the charity — so how did Gwenneth think the banner would hold up to the journey?
“Unfortunately, I had to explain it wasn’t suitable,” says
Gwenneth.
“It was bulky and made of heavy material. Also, the lettering was fixed with iron-on webbing which might not hold
in extreme temperatures. What was needed was a new flag.”
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 Ian at Everest . . . with flag.
Gwenneth at home . . . with flag.
Bob in Antarctica . . . with flag.
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Gwenneth rose to the task, using a lightweight material and took great care stitching on the detail.
When Bob sailed from the world’s most southerly city, Ushuaia in Tierra del
Fuego, on a Russian boat with 40 Norwegians as fellow passengers, the route went within 450 metres of the infamously-dangerous Cape Horn.
During his three-week adventure he endured temperatures which reached a bone-chilling minus 30 degrees. On Antarctica itself he watched as whales swam by and huge icebergs drifted along. He even found 70-million-year-old fossils. But one of his proudest moments was raising Gwenneth’s flag.
Everest
He brought it home with him, and just as well. Because a couple of months later, Edinburgh QC Ian Mackay took the CHAS flag on his fund-raising expedition up Mount Everest.
Unfortunately, conditions were so bad that, just 1000 feet from the 29,000-foot summit, Ian’s oxygen mask froze, and he was forced to turn back. Nevertheless, he raised
more than £5000
for CHAS and was proud to have flown Gwenneth’s flag so close to the top of the world’s highest peak.
She is delighted the flag is becoming so well-travelled. “Anything that helps CHAS and the work they do is fantastic. I have visited Rachel House and it’s wonderful the support they give to families.”
Antarctic adventurer Bob Tomlinson adds, “Raising the CHAS flag was really special —
I had a lump in my throat.
“But real courage isn’t walking across Antarctica or even climbing Mount Everest, it’s the courage shown by CHAS parents.
“That’s a real challenge. These parents climb their own Everest and walk across their own Antarctica every day!”
Now all that has to be decided is where the flag goes next. |
You can e-mail us at:
hospice@sundaypost.com
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