Newcastle College Team Triumphs in UK 3 Peaks Challenge, Raising £2,845 for The Bambisanani Partnership
A dedicated team of nine staff members, supported by two drivers, from Newcastle College have successfully completed the formidable UK 3 Peaks Challenge in an impressive 23 hours and 53 minutes.
The team conquered the highest peaks of Scotland, England, and Wales, raising £2,845 for the Bambisanani Partnership in the process. The Challenge includes 23 miles of walking/climbing, 3,064 metres of accent and 462 miles of driving between countries. The triumphant team included walkers: Brogan OConnor, Barry Rizza, Paul Whitfield, Joe Adams, Jack Redpath, Alan Fenton, Catherine Orridge, Jonathan Rees and Maria Gibson and drivers: Neil Anderson and Terry Aisbitt.
The funds will contribute significantly to the MyWalk campaign, an initiative providing school shoes for children in rural South Africa who currently walk barefoot. The shoes, crafted from recycled hospital waste, cost less than £2 per pair. Half the money raised will equip an entire primary school of 700 children with shoes, while the remaining funds will support other Bambisanani activities across schools and communities in rural South Africa.
Brogan O'Connor, Enrichment and Development Manager at the college and trustee of the Bambisanani Partnership, expressed her pride in the team's achievement, stating, "It is an honour to come together as a college annually and raise funds for a charity that has been a huge part of my life since the age of 16, and does amazing work in the UK and in South Africa. Whilst they are challenging, our annual fundraisers are a key part of our academic calendar now and something I, and many of us, really look forward to. We are already planning next year’s! To have hit our target and raised so much money makes all the effort worth it and a huge thank-you must go to the staff and students across the Newcastle College network who supported with donations, messages of support, and shares on social media."
The challenge, which included scaling Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, and Snowdon, was not only physically and mentally demanding but also conducted under the constraints of a minibus limited to 60 miles per hour, with minimal sleep and fuel stops. Despite these hurdles, the team's cohesion and determination saw them complete the challenge with just seven minutes to spare.
“Walking the Walk”
David Geldart from the partnership added, “Brogan and her team deserve the utmost credit on successfully completing this world-renowned endurance challenge on behalf of the Bambisanani Partnership. Newcastle College is a key member of the partnership and has added new dimensions to both our work in South Africa and to our fundraising. The college has developed a great link with the wonderful MyWalk initiative and students from the college will be volunteering in South Africa next month. It is fantastic to see institutions provide genuine global learning opportunities for their students; it’s always about walking the walk. Well done to Brogan and her team for outstanding leadership on all fronts.”
The Bambisanani Partnership, renowned for its work in promoting education and development through sport in South Africa, will utilize the raised funds to make a tangible difference in the lives of countless children, enhancing their educational experience and overall well-being.
