A group of friends are to climb the biggest mountains in three different countries in the space of 24 hours to raise money for a charity that looks to prevent suicides in young people.
Elliot Lea, 23, Connor Lewis, 25, Josh Clarke, 22, and Jamie Bingham, 25, are taking on the Three Peaks Challenge of climbing Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England and Snowdon in Wales all within 24 hours starting on Saturday May 26.
They’re doing so for the charity PAPYRUS having all known someone who has taken their own life at a young age.
They include a friend of a friend in Andrew Jackson, the former Holbeach United player who died earlier this year.
All four are from Spalding with Elliot returning from his day job as a lance corporal for the 23 Parachute Regiment of the Army currently based in Suffolk.
“We’ve done a couple of the mountains before and I regularly take on challenges like this with the Army, but it’s a lot of effort and preparation just getting up one, never mind three in a day,” said Elliot who is also a DJ and runs the Arc night in Spalding which will be having a float at the Spalding Flower Parade. “It’s something I’ve always thought about doing and it’s really exciting to be doing it with my mates from back home.
“We’re all enjoying the training and are absolutely buzzing for it.”
PAPYRUS is the national charity for the prevention of young suicide.
Suicide is the biggest killer of young people under the age of 35 in the UK and the charity provides confidential support and advice to young people struggling with thoughts of suicide, and anyone worried about a young person through their helpline, Hopeline UK.
“We wanted to do something for a charity that’s not so well known and that we could raise awareness of as well as some money for them,”
“We all know someone who has ended their life too early.
“PAPYRUS do amazing work and we wanted to highlight that.
“We’ve been blown away by the donations so far.
“We originally targeted raising £1,000 and we’ve already beaten that with many donations still to come in.”
The Army is also helping out with donations and provided a bus to use while the four have provided a driver.
“The Army’s been brilliant for me,” Elliot continued. “Not much interested me at school other than physical sports and music.
“It’s made me the person I am.”
You can donate here.
