| Intrepid workers move mountains to raise £37,000 for Donna Louise Trust |
  
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 | Employees from several companies have raised more than £37,000 for a children’s charity by completing a mountain climbing endeavour. |
Intrepid workers move mountains to raise £37,000 for Donna Louise Trust
Employees from several companies have raised more than £37,000 for a children’s charity by completing a mountain climbing endeavour.
The teams embarked on the Three Peaks Challenge over the summer, months after the gauntlet was thrown down to them by North Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Bob Young.
Their task involved climbing the three highest mountains in the UK – Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in Cumbria and Snowdon in Wales – within 24 hours.
They raised a total of £37,143.01, which was handed over to the Donna Louise Children's Hospice this week.
Among those who took part were a group from Tunstall ceramics firm Dudson Ltd.
Manufacturing director Mark Dudson headed up the team, which raised £4,000.
He said: “The challenge was a lot harder than we expected it to be. The weather was lousy so it was a real test to keep going.”
St Modwen’s team raised £3,500 and tackled its challenge in hot weather.
The developer’s Regional director Mike Herbert said: “We really suffered from the heat and wondered whether we would get up Ben Nevis, but we did. The challenge was hard work but I really enjoyed it.”
Trentham-based charity the Donna Louise Children's Hospice provides a hospice service for children with life-threatening conditions and support for families the whole family at the hospice and in their own homes.
It costs £2 million a year to run but does not receive regular government funding.
Mr Young, whose team from Caverswall insolvency firm Begbies Traynor raised £3,150, said: “I laid the challenge down at the end of the chamber dinner in February when everyone was a little drunk, expecting three or four teams to take part. We ended up with seven or eight, which I am very happy about.
“The Donna Louise Children's Hospice does a fantastic job. I have been around their hospice a few times and always come out with tears in my eyes, because it is such a happy place. It has little state funding so it relies on all of us, the local community, for help. I’m just pleased that in my capacity as chamber president I can reinforce what they already do.”
Also included in the total was £3,700 from legal firm Beswicks, £1,000 from Stoke-based DPC Accountants, £3,544 raised by law firm Grindeys, £6,740.61 courtesy of consultancy company Wardell Armstrong, £7,000 from an HSBC team, £1,733.40 raised by a Handelsbanken branch, £1,280 from Silverdale-based JSW Insurance Services, and £175 handed over by Longton video production company Reels in Motion.
Melanie Mills, the Donna Louise Children's Hospice Trust’s head of fundraising and public relations, said: “During these difficult economic times, it is really encouraging to see so many businesses supporting our charity.
“We rely on voluntary income to raise £2 million every year and the money raised by these businesses taking part in the Three Peaks Challenge will go directly to helping children with life-threatening conditions and their families.
She added: “We would like to urge businesses and the public to keep helping us in any way they can, no matter how big or small, every penny helps us care for more children and families in Staffordshire and South Cheshire.”
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