A GROUP of fitness enthusiasts from Tilston and Malpas will be tackling one of the UK's toughest outdoor challenges to raise money for a teen with a severe muscle wasting condition.
The Tilston Trotters will be tackling Pedal Paddle Peak in the Lake District on Saturday, July 2 and the group hope to raise £4,000 for Thomas Robinson, a 15-year-old youth who lives with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare and life-limiting muscle wasting condition with no cure.
The team will compete against others to cycle 30 miles, paddle across Ullswater Lake for two miles and then climb England’s second highest mountain, Helvellyn.
Thomas' mum, Karen, thanked the group for taking on the challenge.
She said: "The Tilston Trotters are very brave to be taking on such an extraordinary challenge.
"We feel very privileged that they have chosen to support our family fund and ultimately our amazing superhero Thomas.
"We have specifically requested that funds raised be donated to Muscular Dystrophy UK’s Duchenne Research Breakthrough Fund, to accelerate the development of effective treatments for Duchenne."
The group of six, who will be taking on this challenge, are Doug Buckeridge, his wife Kate, Jo Mulligan, Mary Richardson, Simon Richardson and Tony Clare.
Doug said he was looking forward to it.
He added: "I don’t know how I’m going to get up Helvellyn, but I’m looking forward to it.
"The last time I went up there it was 1987 and I was a sixth former on a geography field trip.
"The charity put us in touch with Tom and his mum Karen and dad Neil, as we were keen to put a face to the cause.
"Four of us Trotters went to Crewe to visit the family and we spent almost three hours together.
"Meeting Thomas gave us such a boost, he is such a bubbly character and he really inspired us.
"Karen and Neil have a family fund for Thomas, which means they can choose how Muscular Dystrophy UK will use the funds raised."
Pedal Paddle Peak is organised by Kiera Santry, senior challenge events officer at Muscular Dystrophy UK, and she thanked Tilston Trotters for its efforts.
She added: "We were delighted to introduce the Tilston Trotters to Thomas and his family, so they could see for themselves the difference they could make to someone’s life by taking on Pedal Paddle Peak.
"We’re excited to welcome the Tilston Trotters to the Lakes for this year’s event and applaud all their fundraising efforts.
"Since we first launched Pedal Paddle Peak in 2016, the event has raised over £300,000 to help beat muscle-wasting conditions."
You can sponsor Doug and his team via https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ppp22mduk-TilstonTrotters
You find out more about Thomas and his family via https://www.musculardystrophyuk.org/get-involved/family-funds/funds/thomas-muscle-fund
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