Olympian Fatima Whitbread conquers Three Peaks to raise money for children in care following her own experience 

Olympic athlete and ambassador for Action for Children, Fatima Whitbread, conquered the Three Peaks challenge, in under 24 hours and raised almost £15,000 for charity through JustGiving.  

This challenge, which saw her climb the highest peaks of England, Scotland and Wales, marks yet another milestone in her mission to raise awareness, support and funds for children and young people in the UK care system.  

As a three-month-old baby, Fatima was abandoned in a flat, left suffering from malnutrition and dehydration and as a result she spent the majority of her childhood in the UK care system. 

By the age of 14, Fatima finally found a family of her own when she was fostered by javelin coach Margaret Whitbread, her husband, John Whitbread, and their two sons, Gregg and Kirk. 

After experiencing firsthand how it feels to grow up in the care system, the Olympian is on a mission to support as many children as possible in that situation, through her own campaign.  

Fatima has been taking on numerous challenges to raise money for the charity, including running the London Marathon, starring on the TV show I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! South Africa, hiking the chalky hills of The South Downs and most recently, taking on the UK’s Three Peaks. 

Action for Children is a leading UK charity dedicated to supporting and protecting vulnerable children and young people in the care system. The organisation provides practical and emotional care to thousands of children every year. 

Fatima’s JustGiving page for her latest Three Peaks challenge has raised almost £15,000 for the charity, Action for Children. 

She said: “I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who donated to my JustGiving page. As someone who grew up in the UK care system myself, I know how important it is for every child to have a safe and happy childhood. 

“As government spending for care services has fallen in the last decade, Action for Children has become a vital lifeline for children in care, as their support system provides help to around 35,000 children per year. It is crucial that we increase the number of foster parents in the UK and change the lives of these kids. 

“Despite the urgent call for reform and a £2.6 billion investment last year, the government’s commitment to this cause has remained unfulfilled a year on. I plan to continue raising money and awareness for Action for Children to ensure they carry on doing their marvellous work for our young and vulnerable in care.” 

Pascale Harvie, President and General Manager at JustGiving said: “Fatima is a shining example of inspiration. Her personal journey serves as a testament of hope and encouragement to many. 

“Fatima’s determination to help all children receive the wonderful childhood they deserve is admirable, and her dedication to raising money for Action for Children will have a huge impact on the lives of so many young people in care.” 

If you would like to donate to Fatima’s JustGiving page, click here.   

NOTES TO EDITOR

For further information contact  press@justgiving.com

About JustGiving
JustGiving is the world’s most trusted platform for online giving. We help people raise money for the charities and people they care about the most. In 2000, JustGiving.com began with one simple goal – to enable charities to receive donations online from anywhere in the world. Fast forward 22 years and over £5 billion has been raised for good causes in almost every single country in the world.

JustGiving became part of Blackbaud, the world’s leading cloud software company powering social good in 2017.

To note – JustGiving does not charge a fee on donations but instead operates a voluntary contribution model, meaning people donating can choose to leave a ‘tip’ if they wish. The only non-optional fee is a 1.9% + 30p to cover card payment charges.