DAVID Roberson, a teacher at Ormiston Park Academy in Aveley is set to take on the Three Peaks Challenge on 20th/21st July with approval from the school to take time out of the classroom to do so.
The personal challenge that he has set himself to do is to raise money for the RP Fighting Blindness Charity. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a disease of the eye that leads to loss of vision and blindness. RP Fighting Blindness works hard to stimulate and fund cutting edge research to find a treatment or cure and support those affected. The charity’s mission is to stimulate and support high quality medical research with the aim of increasing scientific understanding of retinitis pigmentosa (and related conditions) and finding treatments or cures for the condition that, when developed, are accessible to anyone affected, and to identify or provide good quality and universally-accessible information and support services for people affected.
David Roberson’s stepson suffers from RP, along with other members of his wife’s family, and, if the challenge is successful, his intention is to attempt this challenge again in 2014 along with members of the Ormiston Park Academy staff and pupils.
The National Three Peaks Challenge is a well-known phrase amongst the more adventurous. This challenge involves walking the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales within 24 hours. The three peaks are:
• Snowdon, in Wales (1085m)
• Scafell Pike, in England (978m)
• Ben Nevis, in Scotland (1344m)
Maximum climbing times are generally around 4 hours for Snowdon, and 5 hours each for Ben Nevis and Scafell Pike but it’s certainly not a gentle walk, and when three climbs are required within 24 hours the Challenge becomes more difficult, draining your energy and depriving you of sleep. The National Three Peaks Challenge driving route is 462 miles long, and takes around ten hours in good traffic.
So with the challenge in sight, David Roberson hopes that any donations towards his sponsorship will raise money for this worthwile cause. Donations can be made on the Just Giving website:
www.justgiving.com/Dave-Roberson
