Local footballers raise £6k taking on the Three Peaks Challenge

It was probably one of the toughest weekends this year to attempt the Three Peaks Challenge as high winds and torrential rain hit the UK. But team ‘Red Hot Chilli Steppers’ took on that challenge.  The team, made up of footballers from local Kintbury and Hungerford Football Clubs achieved their challenge in under 24 hours.  They climbed the three highest peaks in the UK, Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon, to raise money for New Life Special Care Babies, a local charity that buys specialist life-saving equipment for neonatal units across the UK. 

 Adam Allsop, Group Leader said ‘We absolutely smashed it! This is something we can all be so proud of as very few can say they achieved what we did. We were delighted to have had the opportunity to raise the money for such an amazing charity and hope our contribution will make a difference.’

 ‘Their training regime has been rigorous’ said New Life Founder and CEO Trevor Goodall.  ‘These are fit guys but even they said the challenge was tough, particularly as they had to contend with gale-force winds and rain. They did a fantastic job scaling Scafell Pike  in three and a half hours during the night.’

 The Three Peaks Challenge is one of the most popular challenges in the UK where participants must climb the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales.  It has also proved one of the most popular challenges over the past few years for teams wanting to fundraise for their chosen charity.

 The £6k raised will help to buy specialist respirators for The Royal Berks Hospital, Reading.  The charity works uniquely in that it liaises personally with Neo-Natal Consultants across the country, taking their requests and sourcing the equipment they need, directly from the manufacturers.  The Neo-Natal Consultants with whom the charity works find this process invaluable meaning they can get the equipment they need within weeks rather than months.

 Fundraising events have brought in over £130k in the first six months of 2023 which is incredible given the current climate. The charity welcomes enquiries from new as well as existing supporters who would like to take part in a fundraising challenge or indeed, organise their own personal challenge.