Lancashire entrepreneurs’ peak performance nets charity more than £17K
A team of 10 entrepreneurs from Chorley’s BNI Endeavour business networking group raised more than £17,000 for Rosemere Cancer Foundation by scaling the UK’s highest mountains to achieve the 24-hour National Three Peaks Challenge.
In total, the team walked 23 miles (37km), climbing 10,052ft (3,064m) to summit Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and lastly, Mount Snowdon. With a thousand miles of driving between the peaks, they had just 11 minutes to spare on their final descent before their time ran out.
Sue Swire, team member and fundraising manager for Rosemere Cancer Foundation, said: “The entire thing was certainly a challenge. It rained the whole 5.5.hours we were on Ben Nevis and it was tricky going up Scafell Pike in the dark with little sleep and low energy levels.
“When we started our training back in January with a walk up Pendle Hill, I came home and told my husband I wouldn’t be able to do it but walking every other weekend, usually in the rain, in the Lakes and Peak District plus practice climbs of Ben Nevis and Snowdon paid off. The team spirit and support has been amazing. As a result, some beautiful relationships have been made that will last a lifetime.”
Sue added: “We’re incredibly grateful to our fantastic support crew, which did the driving and supplied us with hot drinks and food, to all our families, friends and Endeavour members for sponsoring us, including Kerry and Sue Chadwick, of Cherry Lodge Childcare, Blackburn, who saved us more than £800 by loaning us their minibuses.”
Other members of the challenge walk team were Jacob Knowles, Matt Bessent , Martin Newton, Mick Doyle, Pete Cleasby, Adam Fletcher, Andy Hosgood, Kelly Bradley and Giles Foster. The support crew were Darren Massey, Mark Rawson and Karl Moss.
Rosemere Cancer Foundation works to bring world class cancer treatments and services to cancer patients from throughout Lancashire and South Cumbria being treated at Rosemere Cancer Centre, which is the region’s specialist cancer treatment and radiotherapy centre at the Royal Preston Hospital, and also at another eight local hospital cancer units across the two counties, including that at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital.
The charity funds cutting-edge equipment, clinical research, staff training and innovative services and initiatives that the NHS cannot afford in order to make patients’ cancer journey more effective, comfortable and stress-free. For further information on its work, including how to make a donation, visit www.rosemere.org.uk