Story added: 15th June 2015

Aviva fundraisers scale three of Britain's highest mountains

Twenty Aviva staff completed the Three Peaks challenge last week raising an incredible £10,000 for the Community Sports Foundation’s Sporting Light Appeal.

The team scaled the largest mountain in three countries in quick succession, climbing a total of 3,407 metres and clocking up over 462 miles by road, across the course of just thirty hours.

The group of fundraisers, led by organisers Matt Parkhouse and Paul Dolphin, decided to use volunteer hours allocated to them by employer Aviva to tackle the Challenge and raise money for the Foundation.

Following a long trip from Norfolk to Scotland, the team climbed the largest mountain in the UK first – Ben Nevis – before travelling to Scafell Pike, in England’s Lake District, and lastly to Mount Snowdon in Wales.

Aided by CSF & Aviva support teams, the group used the travel time between the mountains to rest and catch up on sleep. The timings of the challenge meant that England’s highest peak, Scafell Pike, had to be climbed during the night.

Event organiser and group leader Matt Parkhouse, who was personally honoured for his fundraising efforts by Norwich City Football Club earlier this year, said:

“We had snow at the summit of Ben Nevis, climbed Scafell Pike in the dark and endured poor conditions on Snowdon. It was incredibly gruelling. It’s easy to focus just on the climb, but the descent can be just as tough.

“Some of the group have had no experience of climbing mountains, so we really had to work together as a team. The feeling of finally getting to the top of our last mountain, Snowdon, was simply incredible however and made all the pain of the Challenge worthwhile!”

Emma Fletcher, who was part of the CSF support team who travelled with the climbers, spoke of her admiration for the group’s efforts:

“I saw first-hand the dedication and resolve of the group. It was a really physically-demanding challenge, but they soldiered on admirably.”

“The group have raised an incredible amount for the Foundation. The money will go towards helping disabled and disadvantaged people enjoy the benefits of sport; perhaps even helping them to overcome their own personal obstacles or inhibitions.”

She added: “I want to thank the group, Aviva and all who donated or supported their challenge, on behalf of everyone at the Foundation. A special thanks to FirstDrive who contributed towards one of the support vehicles and Norwich Camping & Leisure who supplied one of the gazebos.”

Want to take part in your own challenge in aid of Norwich City CSF? Find out more about how you can get involved, here.