One of the many disadvantages of having Multiple Sclerosis is not being able to get out and experience trekking through wild and beautiful countryside. But one MS sufferer was able to do just that last weekend thanks to a team from Tidworth-based 43 (Wessex) Brigade.

They were taking part in the MS Challenge 2010 and the 12-strong team, consisting of soldiers and Civil Servants, completed an orienteering course carrying Jackie Langston, the head chef for the Army School of Recruiting, 12 kilometres through the Brecon Beacons on a wheelchair.

The aim was to raise money and give MS sufferers the chance to enjoy the beauty of the countryside and to be able to enjoy the same sort of open-air experiences as an able-bodied person. They completed the event in just four and a half hours and raised over £1,000 for the MS Society.

The course included steep slopes, mud, rocks and even involved going through a pitch-black disused railway tunnel which could only be reached by wading through waist-high stagnant water pools.

The organiser, Warrant Officer Class 1 Brendan Wood, said, “It was a wonderful opportunity to raise money for an organisation we would not normally support and we have all promised to compete again next year and carry on supporting this fantastic charity. It lived up to its name – it was a real challenge, but highly enjoyable.”