Veterans battle Storm Floris in Snowdon challenge
Veterans from Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) and wellbeing support groups have smashed their fundraising target for a Snowdon climbing challenge.
NSFT Veterans' Wellbeing Support Group, accompanied by staff members Wayne Ward, Nicholas Stephens, James Pitt, Luke Upson and Lyndelle Mabaleka, plus three members of staff from The Newbury Community Centre, Bury St Edmunds, and PC Luke Swain from Suffolk Police embarked on the six-hour journey to Snowdon on Sunday 3 August, to be ready for the climb, which they started on Monday morning (4 August).
Wayne, Senior Armed Forces and Veterans Practitioner with the Veterans Integrated Service at NSFT, said it was touch and go whether the expedition would actually go ahead because of Storm Floris: We had been monitoring the weather via various apps over the last few days and were well aware that Storm Floris had just hit Snowdon, but we decided to go for it.
He was delighted to report that the group had almost doubled their £2500 total. We are at £3787 plus an additional £839 in gift aid with a further £900 roughly to come, he said.
The money raised will be used for families' days, days out, attending the Cenotaph London and a Christmas party. The group is also planning to walk the Grand Union Canal next year - 137 miles in five days.
Climb day started with a trip on the Snowdon Mountain Railway in Llanberis. The Command Team, incorporating Captain Mick Green (Royal Anglian Regiment) James Pitt (CRHTT West Suffolk) Cpl Dave Allen (Royal Anglian Regiment Physical Training Instructor) Sgt Jon Pratt (Royal Anglian Cadet Training Team) Clive Springett (Veteran) and Wayne, then had to make the decision whether to go ahead.
We decided to take it slowly, stopping at regular intervals, and keeping the group together. With gusting winds and torrential rain all participants stuck together and pushed each other on as you would expect from a group of Veterans. At every stop we made dynamic risk assessments to ensure the safety of all participants was paramount, said Wayne.
He said everyone had enjoyed the experience and was looking forward to the next challenge. And he added: Thank you to everyone who has supported this adventure and donated.
The Veterans Integrated Service is an enhanced support service for veterans and their affected others, ensuring holistic support, delivered by staff who are specifically trained or who are veterans themselves.
Service details | Norfolk and Suffolk NHS
NSFT staff at Snowdon.zip [zip] 4MB