Students stride out for charity
A group of Shrewsbury College students who completed one of the most demanding mountain walks in the UK and have handed over more than £3,000 to charity.
All 23 members of Shrewsbury College’s outdoor course took part in the 24 Peaks Challenge in the heart of the Lake District and the money raised from their charity challenge was this week presented to the Little Rascals Foundation.
The money will be used in the care of six-year-old Ethan Wheeler from Shrewsbury.
Ethan spent his first 18 months in Alder Hey Hospital, Liverpool.
He suffers from life threatening and life limiting conditions such as short bowel syndrome which means he is now fed intravenously, cerebral palsy, neurological conditions and hypertension. He the only boy in Shropshire with his complex conditions. Ethan is non-verbal and enjoys sensory equipment, which the students wish to give with the money raised.
Level 3 adventurous activities student, Callum Ryder-Foster, aged 17, is chairman of the challenge. He said the students got involved with the Little Rascals Foundation and learned about Ethan through the charity.
He said: “We trained really hard for the challenge, every Tuesday and Thursday up on the hills in Wales and practised our navigation skills to prepare ourselves.”
Fellow student Sammy-Jo Jones, 17 from Shrewsbury, said: “It was really physically and mentally challenging for us all because it was so long and hot. We had two groups – 15 in the walking group and eight in the support group and everyone completed it. We are really pleased with the amount we have raised and know that without what we are learning on the course, we wouldn’t have been able to achieve something like this.”
Sports lecturer, Simon Edwards, said: “The 24 Peaks Challenge is one of the most demanding mountain walking events created in the UK. The seriously tough two-day challenge really tested the physical and mental stamina of the group of students who took part. It needed huge amounts of planning and preparation to complete."
The Little Rascals Foundation is based in Monkmoor and aims to make life easier for children with disabilities in any way they can, and support them and their families.
