Yellowknife (Feb 21/03) - Exposed to the elements eight British bobbies skied out onto Great Slave Lake yesterday.

The group is endeavouring to make a nearly 140-kilometre journey, beginning at Fort Resolution and ending in Yellowknife, to raise money for charity.

The group has raised $38,000 for the National Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

"In England one child dies of neglect every day," said Mike Thornewill, team leader.

Money will also be put towards the Ged Walker Fund. The charity was set up in memory of a Nottingham police dog handler who was killed January in the line of duty.

This will be a chance for the eight cops, who say they deal with some of the worst elements of society on a daily basis, to do something "refreshing."

Only two of the foreign adventurers have experience facing extreme environments.

Thornewill along with his wife became the first married couple to reach both the North and South Pole.

"There are six of us who are real novices," said Graeme Waters.

For Waters this his first real trip anywhere and he said the cold was not something he could fathom until experiencing it.

"We never encounter anything below minus 1 or minus 2 C. If it is minus 1 or minus 2 every things grind to a halt," he said.

Before facing their nine-day challenge the party was in Yellowknife preparing for their journey.

On Wednesday they stopped in to meet Mayor Gord Van Tighem.

The exchange was one of advice, pleasantries and gifts.

Hailing from Nottinghamshire, a region in southern England known for the legend of Robin Hood and populated with over one million residents, the group found the small community of Yellowknife friendly and close-knit.

"We're really impressed," he said.

What do the people of Yellowknife, at least the ones that they have spoken to, think of their trip?

"They think it's mad, actually. They think it's a pointless thing to do," said Waters.