Update...

We did it! At around 1pm on Saturday 29th June 2013 we reached the summit of Scafell Pike, making Sean the first wheelchair user to have scaled the three highest mountains in the UK. It was a huge challenge getting there - the climb was very steep and the terrain was essentially a mass of large, jagged boulders - with Sean bumping over and negotiating every single one. An incredible achievement for Sean, and one which will hopefully continue to inspire others by showing what is possible when you put your mind to it. Thank you so much for all the sponsorship as well as to GfK who are matching anything I raise - in total the wider team has raised over £9k, which is brilliant and will make a huge difference to the Back Up Trust. Thank you.

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Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

On the 29 June I will be helping to push, pull, drag, and lift my good friend Sean 3,209ft skywards to the summit of the highest mountain in England, Scafell Pike, in aid of the Back Up Trust. 

If we achieve our goal, it will make Sean the first wheelchair user to have conquered all three of the highest peaks in the UK.

Sean shattered two vertebrae in a snowboarding accident on Ben Nevis 13 years ago, leaving him permanently paralysed at the age of 25. During his 11 months of rehabilitation in hospital, and whilst trying to come to terms with what had happened, he heard about The Back Up Trust.  Back Up showed him that he could get back into the mountains, go sailing, kayaking and even go skiing again. It completely transformed the way he thought about his new situation and helped him to think positively about the future. It was a revelation.

 

"What Back-Up offers is beyond your wildest imagination when you are lying in a hospital having been told you will never walk again.”

 

On the ten year anniversary of his accident, I was part of a small team who helped Sean return to the top of Nevis, which was quite a mission.  Scafell promises to be an even tougher climb than Nevis.  Whilst not quite as high, it’s steeper, has tougher obstacles and terrain, and will be much more dangerous – it’s going to be a challenge! 

 

One of Sean’s friends, Becky Morris, will be flying over from America to help us up Scafell. The date of our climb is a year to the day since Becky’s mum unexpectedly passed away, so 25% of all monies raised will go to the Red Cross in her memory, with 75% going to The Back Up Trust. 

 

My employer has offered to match any amount I raise, so any extra you can donate will have twice the impact, and will help these amazing charities continue to make a huge difference to many lives.    

 

Many thanks for your support.

 

Ben 

 

MORE INFO:

To get an idea of how tricky this challenge is, our last climb was featured on ITV’s London Tonight which you can see here: http://www.itnsource.com/shotlist//ITN/2010/09/11/T11091031/

BACK UP TRUST

http://www.backuptrust.org.uk/http://www.backuptrust.org.uk/

Back-Up provides wheelchair skills training, mentoring and rehabilitative activity courses which grow confidence and independence by challenging participants and encouraging them to venture outside their comfort zone. "What Back-Up offers is beyond your wildest imagination when you are lying in a hospital having been told you will never walk again.”