2009 6 Peaks Challenge

One of the toughest charity challenges raises £113,000 for WaterAid

The eleventh WaterAid 6 Peaks Challenge has been hailed a great success, raising more than £113,000 for WaterAid.

Walkers braved difficult conditions, including hurricanes and scorching temperatures, to climb six mountains in just 72 hours from 2 - 5 July 2010.

Jackie Sedgwick, WaterAid’s Regional Development Manager for the North of England, said: “All the walkers in this year’s challenge have been fantastic. We had 77 in total who deserve a huge thank you for their endurance and determination on the mountains, as well as the 30 volunteers who provided support during the event.

“This has been a really good year raising heaps of funds and managing to secure sponsorship for forthcoming years from Barclays Capital.”

The fastest team, ‘Rocky V’ from the consultancy company Azzurri Communications, was part of the 15 teams that scaled the summits of the highest mountains in all six regions of the British Isles – the Isle of Man, Wales, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Rocky V’s team leader said: “It was a massive challenge, totally exhausting but also really rewarding. The experience has given us such a sense of satisfaction that our efforts will help others to have better lives. We would really urge other people to take part.”

This year also saw the first women-only team, the Bluebirds, take part. Alyson Tracey, leader of the team said, “It was much tougher than we expected and there were moments when we thought we wouldn’t make it. Somehow though we managed to summon up extra reserves of energy and the feeling of exhilaration at the finish is incomparable. There is no better cause than clean water.”

Corporate sponsorship
Barclays Capital has agreed to act as corporate sponsors of WaterAid’s 6 Peaks Challenge for the next three years, ensuring continued financial success of the unique event. The international investment bank also sponsored three mountains for a total of £6,000 at this year’s challenge.