Team takes on mountain challenge

A group of Telford work colleagues are taking team-building to new heights to embark on the National Three Peaks Challenge.

Staff members from Severn Partnership, in Telford, will be climbing the three highest peaks of Scotland, England and Wales in just 24 hours to raise money for Hope House children’s hospice.

A team of 11 will set off for Scotland early on Saturday (May 11) where they’ll scale the heights of Ben Nevis, before taking on Scafell Pike in the Lake District and Snowdon in Wales. Four colleagues are tasked with the mammoth drive between each country’s tallest mountain.

Severn Partnership operations director Mike Beevers explained that the business was proud to have a long-standing relationship with Hope House children’s hospice. They are looking to raise £2,000 which will help the charity to support children with life-threatening conditions and their families.

“It’s a local charity which means a lot to us. We have been involved with supporting Hope House from the charity’s beginnings. Personally, we have also known families who have used the charity’s respite and support services.

“One of our team was particularly inspired as a close friend of his has a son who is the same age as his baby daughter who has recently started coming to the hospice near Oswestry for respite care, to offer his parents a much-needed full night’s sleep.”

Fundraiser Bekki Fardoe said: “Our relationship with Severn Partnership is a particularly special one. They were one of our first businesses to support Hope House when it formed as a charity, and our staff and trustees used their offices that were based in Shrewsbury at the time.

“They started supporting us again in 2021 and have adopted us as their long-term charity partner. They have taken part in various events, runs and have supported us with their past two golf days. Last year they completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks in preparation for this challenge.”

National land surveying business Severn Partnership has staff from across the UK, so for many it’ll be the first time they’ve spent significant time together.

Office manager Sam Stanford said: “I’m looking forward to getting to know my colleagues outside of work. There’s a great mix of staff from all levels, departments and ages, with staff who have been here for between six months and 16 years.  We’ve even roped our new managing director Darren Read into being one of the drivers.

“I’m a big Eurovision Song Contest fan, which takes place on the same day. I’m hoping I can bring some Eurovision inspiration to the challenge by playing some ABBA as we climb Snowdon.”

The mountains themselves are a combined distance of 23 miles with a total ascent of 3064 metres (10,052ft) – twice the ascent of the Yorkshire Three Peaks. The total driving distance is 462 miles.

The adventurers have taken part in some training together and have been dragging family and friends out as well. There have been several trips up the Wrekin, and a recent group trip up Snowdon on a day of wind and hail.

“We’ll be trying to sleep in the van and making sure we stretch our legs and eat regularly during the long drives between peaks. It’s as much a mental challenge as a physical one,” says Sam. “I hope service station junk food and ABBA will keep us going. We’re all in it together for an amazing cause.”

Sponsor the Severn Partnership team at www.hopehouse.org.uk/severn-partnership-challenge