Staff member takes on Wales' tallest mountain to raise vital funds for charity
One of our staff members has taken on Mount Snowdon to raise money for a charity close to his heart.
Daniel Shepherd, along with his husband James Trott and a team of seven friends and family, climbed up Wales’ tallest mountain to raise vital funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
In May last year James was diagnosed with Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS), a rare form of motor neurone disease (MND), which he said has changed his life forever.
It affects the nerve cells in the brain that control movement and the breakdown of nerve cells. It causes weakness in the muscles that control the legs, arms and tongue.
Daniel, who has worked at the Trust for just over two years as an intelligent client function (ICF) Admin Support Officer, hopes the money they raised will help towards research to find a cure for the disease.
The team have raised more than £7,400 through their JustGiving Page since they took on the challenge on September 10, smashing their £5,000 target.
Daniel, who managed to climb the mountain in ten hours, said: “The climb was absolutely amazing. The strength and determination James had on the climb was inspirational. I’m super proud of him every day for fighting and not letting MND win and I am lucky to be able to help him and others fight this diagnosis that affects so many people.”
James, who is a fan of the movie Lord of the Rings, named the team ‘Bobbly’s Fellowship of the Trekkers’.
He said: “The past year has been a real challenge like no other and I continue to fight every day.
“I decided I needed to do something while I am still able and not just sit back and do nothing, which is why I wanted to climb the mountain with the others and raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
“It was an amazing achievement and I am really proud that we managed to raise more money than we set out. For me mind-set is everything. I came to succeed and my body achieved what my mind believed possible.
“The comfort zone is a wonderful place, but nothing ever grows there. Apart from the people around me, there was nothing about the climb that was in my comfort zone.
“With a disease like MND the general talk is about managing the deterioration or decline, but I believe that Snowdon was monumental for my progress and has helped me unlock a new mind-set.”
Daniel and James’ fellow trekkers included James’ brother Gary Trott, the couple’s best friend Nadine Cook, and James’ Pilates instructor Rebecca Johnson, his physiotherapists Neil Webster and Anne Glynne, and Anne’s husband Julian Glynne.
James’ occupational therapist Noremer Kellegher and his Essex co-ordinator Justine Cox also took part in the charity climb.
The funds raised by the team will be shared between the local Colchester North East Essex group and for MND Research.
The MND Association focus on improving access to care, research and campaigning for those people living with or affected by MND in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
If you would like to donate and help raise funds for the MND Association, please visit the team’s JustGiving page.
Below is the video link including footage of the climb: https://youtu.be/WFBaZVbRVfg?si=zUvL8mWQzLr7lgfX