
A GROUP of friends from Melksham are taking on the ‘Three Peaks Challenge’ this June to raise money for The Devizes & District Opportunity Centre.
Friends Bradley Overton, Alex Dobbins, David Rodgers, Ben Macey, Dan Hitchcock, Ross Jones, Oliver Dimond and Josh Arnold will be taking on the National Three Peaks Challenge on Saturday 23rd June, climbing the highest peaks of Scotland, England and Wales.
The total walking distance is 23 miles (37km) and the total ascent is 3064 metres (10,052ft). The total driving distance is 462 miles all to cover the three mountains: Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis.
They are already keen climbers, setting up frequent visits to Snowdon and Pen Y Fan – calling themselves the ‘Mountain Goats’. However, this is a special climb that sees the group raising money for The Devizes & District Opportunity Centre.
The opportunity centre is a specialist early years centre committed to promoting the overall development and life chances of young children who have disabilities, learning difficulties and complex health conditions.
The work they do opens up a world of opportunities for children with special needs and their families through high quality early years education, therapeutic care and ongoing support.
The centre is close to the group’s hearts, as Mya, the daughter of group member Ben Macey, attended the centre from the age of 9 months until she turned 4 years. Mya was born at 28 weeks weighing only 1.6lb.
Another climber, David Rodgers said, “The difference this made in Mya’s life was fundamental in her progression, and she now attends a mainstream school.
“We all are so determined to smash this challenge and raise as much as we can. Some of us are fitter than others, but we are a close group of friends that will support each other and make sure we complete it in time.
“We are also doing all the driving ourselves, so 462 miles of driving in between is going to be tough to deal with on top of the climbs, so please help us raise as much as we can for The Devizes & District Opportunity Centre.”
You can donate and follow the group’s story on their Justgiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mountain goats3peaks.