Fundraiser spends night on Mount Snowdon in memory of grandparents

Adventurous fundraiser Joe Denning has raised a fantastic £550 for QEHB Charity by camping out on Mount Snowdon in Wales along with two of his closest friends.

Joe was inspired to raise money for the hospital after the care that his grandparents, Brenda and Patrick Kennedy, received. Brenda and Patrick were married in 1960 and enjoyed a happy life together. Brenda spent the last four years of her life being treated for chronic COPD, a lung condition.

Joe said: “My grandad cared for my nan until the very end. Throughout those years my nan was bed-bound, and had various respiratory problems including pneumonia. Nan was constantly in and out of hospital with my grandad always at her side, every day, without fail.”

Joe’s grandad had a nasty accident on 8 September 2016, which left him with nine fractured ribs, seven fractured vertebrae and a bleed on the brain. He was treated on the intensive care unit at QEHB until he passed away on 15 September.

Just seven weeks after Patrick passed away, Brenda also passed away. Joe said: “It was tough, I felt like I had lost the people who made me who I am.”

This summer, Joe decided that he wanted to do something to raise money for the hospital where both Brenda and Patrick were treated. He wanted to take on a physical challenge and decided to hike up Mount Snowdon, before spending the night on the mountain in a tent.

Along with two of his closest friends, Conor McAteer and Thomas Melville, Joe set off up Mount Snowdon one day at the height of summer in 2018.

Joe said: “The challenge itself was pretty gruelling, as temperatures were at a record high for that time of year. There was no shade cover at all, and the 25 degree heat was intense!

All three adventurers had 20kg backpacks, known as bergens, full of water, snacks, clothes and, of course, their trusty tent. Joe said: “I was quite shocked to see a lot of people up there in jeans and trainers, but needless to say we saw a lot of people coming down the mountain as they had to turn back.”

The team took the Pyg Track up to the top of Snowdon, which is one of the trickier and steeper routes. Despite the warm weather, the high winds on the ridge soon meant that the trio were pulling on jumpers.

Joe described the moment that they reached the summit: “With words of encouragement all around us, once again in disbelief we had actually made it up there with our bergens and QEHB Charity t-shirts on, a line of handshakes and pats on the back were all it took to see us through to the peak. We’d done it.”
After a stop for a pie and a pint at the café, they started to descend down the Llanberis trail before finding a good spot to pitch their tent, out of sight of the public. The three fundraisers enjoyed a beautiful evening on the mountainside, with Joe describing it: “We took in the sunset – there will never be another like it. A feeling of complete freedom. All of a sudden it’s just me, my two best friends and the mountain.”

The team managed to raise over £550 to support patients at the hospital. Joe said: “For me to come away with those memories, and raise money for a fantastic hospital whilst doing it, nothing gets better than that!”

Sophie Carroll, Senior Fundraiser for QEHB Charity, said: “Huge thanks go to Joe, Conor and Thomas for their amazing fundraising efforts. It sounds like they had a great time despite the gruelling heat and they’ve raised a brilliant amount of money which will help us to provide added extras for patients at the hospital.”

If you’ve been inspired to take on a climb up Snowdon, then you can join the Charity for a walk with a difference! The Sunset Snowdon Challenge is returning for 2019 and tickets are available here. Join us as we climb Snowdon overnight, arriving at the summit in time for the sunrise!

The team certainly had a good camping spot!

They enjoyed a beautiful sunset after a hard day's walking.