In 2017 on the night before my Mum’s wedding, my family was given the devastating news that she had stage 3 breast cancer. FORCE offered my family a complimentary lifeline of support, guidance and care that I can’t put into words. Living in London at the time of her treatment, I frequently travelled to and from Exeter and FORCE offered a place for me to work, cry and just be, all with a cup of tea and a friendly face. Having watched 2 women very close to my heart suffer with breast cancer it’s imperative for me to do what little I can to support this fantastic charity that does so much to support families in their darkest of times.

To support force we are undertaking what is Considered one of "Britain's toughest outdoor challenges."

We have just 24 hours to climb the 3 highest mountains in the UK – Scafell Pike (England), Ben Nevis (Scotland) and Snowdon (Wales).

After playing semi professional rugby as a prop in London for too many years, I suffered a horrible injury which resulted in a fractured spine and 3 slipped discs. It’s taken 2 years for me to recover, finally having major spinal surgery in December 2023. Therefore this challenge is huge for me, both physically and mentally.

My training has started with walking on crutches in December and January…. no joke!! This has extended to me walking my best friend Leia the cocker spaniel, at Exmouth beach our favourite place. Leia has been my light in my recovery.

Walking her has allowed me to make a start on my physical training and has made me discover a love of walking. This will make a lot of people laugh, knowing that pre surgery I was a rugby playing, pole dancing, mai thai fighter and I now enjoy nothing more than walking the dog with a flask of tea!!

We are aiming to raise £10,000 for our chosen charity, FORCE.

FORCE Cancer Charity provides free support and information to anyone affected by cancer. They are a local charity that offer counselling, group support, complementary therapies, benefits advice, specialist physiotherapy and exercise guidance and other health & wellbeing support. Their services are available to cancer patients and their families. Alongside the support, FORCE funds local research and buys equipment to improve patient care.

Helping to raise £10,000 would make a huge difference to their services and allow FORCE to get back out into the community. It is equivalent to providing 200 complementary therapies or 100 counselling sessions for patients and their families.

“Every step you take on the Three Peaks Challenge is one step forward in helping someone come to terms with a cancer diagnosis. It’s one step closer for a cancer patient to not feel alone. It’s one step closer for a family member to better understand what their loved one is going through. It’s one step closer to helping someone get back on their feet, and to equip them with the tools to help them move forward with their lives.” - Olly Watts, FORCE

Hopefully this gives us all some perspective, our Three Peaks Challenge ahead (gruelling as it may be) does not compare to the challenges that cancer patients and their families face on a daily basis.

Our target is to raise £10,000 (profit) as a group, therefore each individual must pledge to raise a minimum of £300 so if you can support us in any small way please do.