Why Cancer Counselling

A team of 27 local people took part in the Three Peaks Challenge and raised more than £30,000 for cancer counselling charity We Hear You (WHY). The team climbed Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Mount Snowdon with no breaks apart from travel time over a single weekend.

Team leader and fitness trainer Alice Starr says:

“Back in June 2018 our Starr Fitness team took part in Rachel Clark’s world record row which we smashed as a community. Everyone was buzzing and asked me what we could do next. So, I looked on the We Hear You website and searched events and came across the Three Peaks Challenge. As it was WHY’s 25th anniversary I wanted to get at least 25 people on the team, which we did. It’s the most emotional challenge I’ve ever done and the weather was not kind to us - pouring with rain, hailstones and just awful weather, some of it in the pitch black with only a head torch. But as my teammate Kerry said, it’s nothing compared to going through months of chemo and we’re all so proud to have raised a fantastic amount of money for WHY.”

Fundraising and Communications Manager Gemma Wilkes says “This was an epic challenge – I speak from experience having taken part in the 2018 event. Everyone threw themselves into fundraising, holding events including a jumble sale that saw queues from St Catharine’s Church all the way to the park and raised more than £3,000, garden parties, family activities and a fantastic music event at 23 Bath St. Huge thanks are also due to the many people who donated via sponsorship pages and spread the word through social media. We’re delighted with their amazing fundraising total, which far exceeds the £25k target. Events like these are incredibly important to WHY, as we receive no central government funding and need to raise more than £5,000 every single week. Due to the demand for places, our partners at Global Adventure Challenges have offered extra Three Peaks dates for Team WHY participants in 2020 from 11th-13th September. Places are filling fast, so if you’d like to take part please get in touch at gemma.wilkes@wehearyou.org.uk. You can find out more about all our challenge events at https://www.wehearyou.org.uk/events/.”

To register for the 2020 Three Peaks Challenge, see https://www.wehearyou.org.uk/events/three-peaks-challenge-2020/. To find out more about WHY’s free professional counselling service for anyone affected or bereaved by cancer or a life threatening condition, please email info@wehearyou.org.uk