Sharing a friendship that has lasted 37 years, Brummies Gemma Slaughter and Louise Yorke are supporting SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity with an 85-kilometre trek in Banff, Alberta beginning on 23 July.
Banff may seem a long way from Birmingham – and is, around 6,900km as the crow flies – so why should the pair, who call themselves the “Peaky Trekkers” embark on such an adventure so far from home in the Canadian Rockies?
The answer is, of course, quite straightforward. Banff, named after the town in Aberdeenshire, was first settled in the early 1880s, but was incorporated on January 1, 1885. SSAFA – then the Soldiers’, Sailors’, and Families Association – was founded that same year.
Gemma, an RAF Warrant Officer with 21 years’ service and Louise, a primary school headteacher, both had grandfathers who served in WWII, and so the military – and supporting it – are important to them.
Of her reasons for this fundraiser, she says:
“I’ve been supporting SSAFA, as a member of a couple of In-Service Committees and fundraisers, over the years since the charity supported the refurbishment of the Junior Ranks’ facility at RAF Digby in 2013.”
Gemma has a commendable history of supporting SSAFA, most recently with the 13 Bridges Challenge on June 28 – Armed Forces Day 2025 – and her “1,000-Mile Challenge” in 2017-18.
Gemma, who, like Louise supports Birmingham City FC, added:
“When researching to plan this event, five years ago, but scuppered by COVID and other things until now, I discovered that both SSAFA and Banff National Park were founded in 1885, so it seemed a natural fit.”
The pair hope to raise – and beat – their target of £3,770, which for those with good mental arithmetic, keeps the theme going as it is £1,885 each.
The Peaky Trekkers have a long distance to travel and still some way to reach their target, so every donation counts.
To help Gemma and Louise on their fundraiser of a lifetime, visit justgiving.com/team/peakytrekkersincanada.
