More than 30 staff from Derwen College, near Oswestry, are signed up to face a challenging charity climb up Snowdon.
The group of intrepid walkers, led by organisers Phil Davies and Ben Leonard, are walking nine miles up Wales’ highest mountain on 9th April to raise money for Derwen College Charity.
The walk up the 3,500 foot mountain, taking the popular Llanberis Path, is expected to take around six hours. It is hoped that walkers will reach the summit to celebrate their achievement together. For many of the College walkers, it will be their first time up Snowdon.
The group have already raised £350 towards their £1000 target and are hoping that community support will boost fundraising further. The money raised will support students with special educational needs and disability (SEND) towards their aspirations, helping to develop their work and independence skills. Some of the money will go towards the college’s Agnes Hunt Village Project, raising money to refurbish the life-changing village of bungalows which encourage students towards a more independent way of living.
Support worker Ben Leonard said:
“The initial idea was Phil’s but we all wanted to get onboard. It is a fantastic way of raising awareness of the amazing work all staff do here at the college. Myself and Phil are avid hikers and regularly walk up mountains, so it made sense to do Snowdon with it being the closest, highest mountain to us. It is not an easy mountain to climb and can be tricky in adverse weather. So therefore I think it is brilliant that a lot of staff who have never climbed a mountain before, let alone Snowdon, have signed up to try and challenge themselves and raise money for the college. The money will mean a great deal to us here and help us in changing the lives of the amazing young people that we work with. I am very much looking forward to the walk and am praying for good weather!”
Derwen College fundraiser Anna Evans said she was delighted that so many staff had signed up.
She said: “This team challenge demonstrates what Derwen College is all about – the total commitment of our staff to the amazing students we have here. For many of those taking part, walking up Snowdon will be a first, and therefore a real challenge. But this is about everyone getting to the top in a group, it’s not a race. Every penny raised will be used to ensure that our students get all the extra opportunities and experiences they need to progress and flourish whilst at Derwen College. By supporting this fundraising challenge, you will be helping us to provide the support our students need to gain greater independence to lead happy and fulfilling lives.”
Anyone wishing to support these dedicated individuals in raising funds for Derwen College Charity can donate at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/Derwensnowdonwalk