We are a group of schoolfriends and relatives undertaking the National 3 Peaks Challenge this October (20th-23rd, not 7th to 9th). That means we will need to climb (and crawl down) Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon/Yr Wydffa in 24 hours. Including travel between those not-very-close-to-each-other peaks.

The motivation behind climbing 3 mountains in 24 hours was partly wanting to do something a bit different together as a group and partly/mainly because we can brag about it for years to come.

However rather than just undertake the challenge and wang on about it for the rest of our lives we felt it was a good idea to use the opportunity to raise some money for a cause close to our heart.

Sadly several of our group have had to go through losing their mums and dealing with that at a young age. As a tight group we've all been there for each other when it has happened and so can all relate to how devastating that process can be. We're also all cricket fans- to varying degrees of Badger-ness from fair weather interest to absolute obsessives. And so we had naturally heard of the great work that The Ruth Strauss Foundation do via the 'Red for Ruth' days at cricket matches.

So raising money for a charity that helps families prepare for the death of a parent, with a cricketing angle, seemed very fitting.

The Ruth Strauss Foundation help provide emotional support for families with dependent children to prepare for the death of a parent from cancer; and raises awareness and funds for research into rare lung cancers.

Every pound you donate will make a difference in funding visionary research into rare lung cancers and vital wellbeing support to meet the emotional & psychological needs of families where a parent is living with an incurable cancer.

Fighting the lung cancers you don’t hear about. Supporting the suffering you don’t see.