After completing the Three Peaks Challenge in under 24 hours, eight friends have raised £6,600 for independent Suffolk charity, St Elizabeth Hospice.
Between 4.30pm on 28th August and 4pm on 29th August, Edward Tricker, John Ely, Dale James, Dean Lamb, Sam Clark, Tom Andrews, Thom Mann, the driver Michael Robinson and Co-pilot Jack Milbourne, took on the grueling challenge which saw them climb the three mountains of Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon, overcoming roadblocks, traffic delays as well as the physical demands of hiking, in the process.
Heralding from the Ipswich area, the friends decided to take on the challenge in aid of the hospice through a number of the group having shared connections to St Elizabeth Hospice, which provides free services to improve life for people living with a progressive or life limiting illness throughout East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney.
With John’s father and family having received support from the hospice during his battle with cancer five years ago and Edward’s father also received care from the hospice before his death from cancer three years ago.
While Thom’s mother-in-law, Lorraine Brown, passed away from cancer aged 55 in January 2020 under the care of St Elizabeth Hospice and Dale’s mother also passed away from cancer in 2007 after having been supported by the hospice.
“For us, it was an easy decision to support the hospice as we all know how important its services are,” explained Dale James, who has previously volunteered and fundraised for St Elizabeth Hospice.
“We all were craving an adventure and to find a way to give back to the community as well as feeling that sense of achievement that is possible after finishing such a grueling challenge that takes you to your absolute limits.
“The support we received was incredible. Reaching the top of Snowdon within a time of 1 hour and 33 mins and knowing that we can finish under 24 hours brought sheer elation to us all, feeling so happy that we could give our supporters good news and potentially bring in more donations for the hospice, after our success”.
“Those of us lads who have been directly affected by cancer in our families, will never be able to pay the hospice back for the care they provided our loved ones. What we can do is to make sure that we do what we can, when we can, to fundraise for the charity. We will continue to select different challenges hopefully on a yearly basis in order to keep fundraising”
To prepare for the challenge, the group of eight began training four months ago. Meeting once a week to complete hour-long circuit training sessions to strengthen their leg muscles and cardiovascular fitness, however, unfortunately Jack Milbourne was injured in training with plantar fasciitis, but he still came along for the challenge to help all the hikers and provide support.
Becky Jedrzejewski, Events and Challenges Fundraiser at St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “What a fantastic achievement and a huge congratulations to the whole group for completing their Three Peaks Challenge in under 24 hours!
“They have raised a brilliant total which will make a big difference to the hospice and helps us continue to provide and develop our services to support patients and families in our local community.”
To donate towards the group’s challenge visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/our-three-peak