My name is Craig Smith, and five of my closest friends now have me to blame for firstly coming up with the challenge idea, and then roping them all into the event.

On 19^th April 2016, I lost my younger brother Daniel Smith (Dan) to cancer, aged just 24 years old. Dan's last days were spent at The Myton Hospice in Warwick, and it provided a warm and dignified end of life environment for Dan to slip away peacefully surrounded by his family.

On 16^th July this year, it would have been Dan's 30^th Birthday, and we wanted to do something positive in his memory, hence the "Dads & Dragons” Snowdon Challenge was born. 

The Myton Hospices are in desperate need as they try to meet the funding challenge of raising around £9.2 million annually to keep their Hospices in Coventry, Warwick and Rugby operational.

The impact of Covid-19 has hit The Myton Hospices particularly hard with many of their traditional fundraising channels not being viable for the majority of the last year; including their retail outlets and also the donations that would normally come from charity challenge events from the public. 

Consequently, The Myton Hospices now face a significant annual funding deficit of more than £1 million, which is why we have set ourselves an ambitious fund-raising target of £12,000 for Myton as they are a local charity in great need.

The last day of the challenge occurs on Father’s Day 20^th June, and as all six of us taking part in the challenge are Dads, it will be tough day to be away from the children and our families, but hopefully we’ll make them all proud and we will also get to raise a glass for Dan together in Wales, once we’ve all completed the challenge.

Challenge information:

Mount Snowdon is the highest mountain in England and Wales at 1,085m (3,650 ft).

The challenge is to conquer all six main routes to the summit of Snowdon (up and down) over the 3-day challenge period; Pyg Track, Miners’ Track, Llanberis Path, Watkin Path, Rhyd-Ddu Path and the Snowdon Ranger Path. Two different routes will be completed on every day of the challenge.

Make no mistake, this is going to be a massive challenge for every member of the team. On completing the challenge, at the end of day three, each challenge team member will have:

• Ascended almost 20,000 feet
• Hiked almost 50 miles
• Hiked for up to 45 hours over the three-day challenge period

There is no doubt at all that the challenge team will be in tatters by the end of the challenge.

The Myton Hospices:

There are 3 Myton Hospices; Coventry, Rugby and Warwick.

The Myton Hospices took care of more than 1800 patients (and their families) in 2019.  The Myton Hospices provide specialist compassionate end of life patient care for terminally ill adults in Coventry & Warwickshire.

More than 1000 volunteers support The Myton Hospices in various roles. The Myton Hospices have 300 members of staff including their specialist medical teams. 83p in every £1 raised goes directly to patient & family services.

The difference your donation will make:

• £12 will fund a patient’s meals for one day.
• £25 provides for the daily upkeep cost of our relative’s accommodation.
• £25 covers the cost of one hour’s specialist nursing care.
• £106 will fund a Myton at Home nurse to visit a patient at home.
• £162 will fund 10 children’s bereavement counselling sessions.
• £460 will fund an inpatient bed for one day.
• £2000 would buy a patient specific recliner chair to enable patients to spend time out of bed.

For more information on Myton: www.mytonhospice.org/

We are welcoming Company Donations:

• For a minimum donation of £250, we will be happy to arrange for your company logo to be printed on The Myton Hospices branded challenge team shirts that the team will be wearing during the event.
• Your company logo and website link will also be profiled on our fundraising page.
• Your company will also receive formal letter of gratitude directly from The Myton Hospices Fundraising Team to thank you for supporting the event.

For more information please contact Craig Smith (07706) 005763  

Meet the Challenge Team:

The six friends taking on the challenge are Craig Smith, Richard Lappin, Paul Loveitt, John Young, Michael Griffin and Paddy Herbert.

Please Click on the photos at the top of the page and click/swipe through to read the challenge team profiles.

Logistical Support:

Stephen Tuft (Tufty), is a close friend to the challenge team members and has kindly offered to give up his time to be our driver and main logistical support for the whole event. We would not be able to complete the challenge without logistical support so from all the team, thank you Tufty!

The Myton Hospices – Fundraising Representatives:

Ruth Tandy and Beccy Richards.

Beccy Richards, Events Manager, The Myton Hospices, sends this message to the challenge team and to those making donations:

We cannot thank Craig, Mick, Richard, John, Paul, Paddy and Stephen enough for taking on this epic Snowdon challenge to raise vital funds for The Myton Hospices. The hospice needs to raise 9.2 million each year to provide our services free of charge to patients and their families across Coventry and Warwickshire and we wouldn’t be able to do it without people taking on challenges like this incredible team.

This year the pandemic has hit us hard and we are expecting a funding gap of around £1 million. Any support you can give the team will be greatly appreciated, not only by the challenge team but by all of us here at Myton.