[column width=”1/3″ title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”]

[/column]

[column width=”2/3″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”]

AKF Manchester organised a memorable survival weekend in North Wales from the 25th to 27th March in their very own private forest in Ruthin.

The event, which raised funds for our UK flood relief appeal, attracted 16 male and female participants, ranging from 12 to 50 years. The weekend consisted of a range of fun and exciting survival activities, including fire lighting, purifying water, building shelters and cooking outdoors. All the activities were accompanied by interactive lectures, and by the end of the weekend the participants were survival savvy and awarded a Level 2 certificate in Disaster Readiness.

The highlights of the weekend were prayer times when everyone would gather in congregational prayers standing side up side in the serene forest, and meal times, which proved a great time to bond with fellow participants and share everything they’d learned from the practicals and lectures.

Mohammed Shiraz, a participant of the fundraiser, commended the weekend as an unforgettable experience, allowing him to appreciate basic necessities, such as food, water and shelter that we all tend to take for granted; “My weekend in North Wales learning survival skills gave me an experience I will never forget — the basic things of food, water and shelter that we take for granted.???

Another participant, Ali Cernali, added that the weekend allowed her to think about those in poverty stricken areas: “A weekend to remember, and to remember the needy and disaster-prone communities.???

The survival weekend not only proved to be a thrilling experience through the exciting survival skills practicals, but it also proved an opportunity to reflect and appreciate everyday essentials that get taken for granted. Essentials that are often considered luxuries in other parts of the world.

[/column]