Brothers Elliott, 11, and Christian Mechan, 9, from Leyland will make the climb with their friend Zac Everett, 7, from Euxton. Although many schoolchildren will be taking a break during the half term, the trio will lace up their hiking boots to raise money for Chorley-based children's hospice Derian House. More than 400 children receive care from the hospice which provides round-the-clock support to sick youngsters across the North West. The three friends have been doing plenty of long walks to help them to prepare for the 3,560ft trek to the top of Mount Snowdon. The trio have been training hard ahead of the climb and have taken part in uphill hikes at Darwen Tower and Rivington Pike as well as climbs in the Lake District. Charlotte Everett, Zac’s mum, will join the boys and other parents as they climb the highest mountain in England and Wales. "The boys are all very sporty," says Charlotte, "Elliott and Christian both play football and Zac plays American football.” “The overwhelming amount of support and donations has motivated them to train more in preparation.” Elliot, Christian and Zac hit their initial fundraising target in just 2 days via their JustGiving page and have now achieved double that with donations still coming in. Nicola Mechan, Elliott and Christian’s mum, said: “The boys are thrilled and amazed by how much they’ve managed to raise so far. "They are very touched at the kindness and generosity of people. “When deciding on a charity to raise money for, Derian House really made an impact on them. "Relating it to children of their own age gave them the desire to try and help in some way.” The funds will give a vital boost to the hospice which cares for its families for free. Derian House services cost £5 million to run a year and only 12 per cent of this is funded by the government. Charlotte Robinson, Derian House community fundraiser, said: “We are so inspired by Elliott, Christian and Zac’s enthusiasm and commitment to their challenge. "The money they have raised will help us to continue caring for the children and young people who need us most. "We will be really proud to see them reach the top of Mount Snowdon.” More information about Derian House can be found at its website here. Find out more about Elliot, Christian and Zac's Snowdon challenge via their JustGiving page here. Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 per month for the first two months. Try us today by clicking here.