FURNITURE store colleagues are limbering up for a gruelling charity challenge. They are aiming to complete the Yorkshire Three Peaks in under 12 hours to raise money in support of two causes close to their hearts.
Paul Olivier, owner of Oliviers Furniture Shop, which has branches in Galgate, Barnard Castle, and Richmond, along with his daughter Eleanor, shop manager Shane Carter, Hubert and Ollie Lebanski and Ashely Torode hope to undertake the estimated 50,000-step trek on Saturday, September 2.
Pledging to take it one step at a time, the group hopes to raise £1,000 in aid of nine-year-old Abigail Ford and the Make a Wish Foundation. Abigail was diagnosed with neuroblastoma two years ago, and her gran, Gina Russell, works at the shop. Gina’s colleagues wanted to do something to help.
The 24-mile trek begins at Whernside and continues onto Ingleborough and finally Pen-y-Ghent before the return route. It includes 1,585 metres of ascent.
This challenge is not the first fundraising event Oliviers’ staff have undertaken. Last year they raised £1,700 for Abigail when staff braved a head shave and body waxing.
Mr Olivier said: “It was Hubert that has set out the route and he’s done it before. We’re hoping to raise more than £1,000.
“Currently we’re up to about £600, but it will be nice to get more than £1,000.
“All the money raised will be split equally between Abby’s fight against neuroblastoma and the Make a Wish Foundation – the charity which has recently sent Abby and her family on an exciting four-day adventure to London.”
Store manager Mr Carter added: ““We are going to set off about 7am as the idea is to get the walking done before it gets dark. I haven’t really done any major walking before apart from in the store. You can do quite a lot of steps on a busy day.
“It’s 24 miles and that equates to 50,000 steps and the aim is to do it in 12 hours. On an average day we can rack up about 12,000 steps but busy days, it is more like 15,000.”
Abby’s family say she continues to fight and they are making as many memories with her as possible.
Anyone wishing to sponsor the intrepid trekkers or make a donation should visit https://shorturl.at/qEQSU
The fundraising antics don’t stop there though. On Sunday, September 24, at noon Mr Olivier’s wife Emma will be having a drastic hair cut in public to raise more funds.
Mrs Olivier will have at least eight inches of her locks cut off while sat in the window of the furniture store.
The chopped hair will be sent to Little Princess Trust to make wigs for young people who are battling cancer.
