Around 110 people were blindfolded and left to get lost in Suffolk on Saturday 14th April – for St Elizabeth Hospice’s sell-out adventurous fundraising event the Great Xscape.
Teams of three or four – dressed in fancy dress – were dropped off at a mystery rural location and, after removing their blindfolds, asked to make it back to the Shipwreck Bar and Restaurant in Shotley Gate in the fastest time – any way they could.
They had no money or maps and had to complete an Olympic-themed challenge to before making it back to the pub.
All teams were sponsored and the event raised around £10,000 for St Elizabeth Hospice, which relies on fundraising to meet most of its running costs.
The location turned out to be Shingle Street.
The first team back was the Hollesley Calendar Girls in 1 hour 27mins with Breheny a close second in 1 hour 28mins, dressed as prisoners, and third was Framfield Ailments in 1 hour 30mins.
The prize for best fancy dress went to the Whiskey of Oz – dressed as characters from the Wizard of Oz.
Teams got back in different ways, some managed to hitch lifts, others took the ferry from Felixstowe, Bawdsey and Harwich or got free places on train and buses, walked or ran.
Event organiser Rachael Maidment said: “It was a fantastic day and we would like to thank all the teams and everyone who supported them. It was a fun way of raising thousands of pounds for the hospice and making a difference.”
Mrs Maidment also thanked the volunteers who helped with the event and the companies who gave their services for free – the Shipwreck Bar and Restaurant, TMAC Solutions who provided the mobile phones and coach firms GM travel and Harlequin.