Local bobbies make Snowdon their ‘beat’ to raise money for charity

The University’s campus police team are hoping for more than a fair cop this month as they put their fitness and endurance levels to the limit and climb a mountain for a charity close to their hearts.

Representatives from the team are taking on the annual ‘Snowdon Challenge’, in which plucky people from across the country walk up the 1,085 metre (3,560 feet) peak of the highest mountain in Wales (with an optional train service for those who need it).

Sergeant Lorna Clarke, the UON police team’s lead, explains the reasons behind why they decided on this endeavour: “The motivation behind it was to give us a team challenge which will also improve our physical fitness and add to team building.  We have been together as a team now for a year now and our in our role it is crucial we rely on each other so the Snowdon Challenge ticked all the right boxes.

Secondly, it was the raise awareness and funds for the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation, a charity that provides information and support to children and families affected by the condition as well as research into childhood liver conditions: “Childhood liver disease can be devastating not for the child concerned but also their nearest and dearest as the prognosis is not always hopeful.

“We are supporting this charity because they are a tremendous help to a police colleague of ours whose child is sadly suffering from liver disease. They have all benefitted so much from the charity’s support that we wanted to support them back and help other families.”

They have been training for the mammoth walk by scaling the smaller heights of the buildings around Waterside campus, as Sgt. Clarke adds: “We are in pretty good shape anyway, but climbing Snowdon is something else. We have been making daily trips to the top floors of the Senate building and Learning Hub a couple of times using the stairs only – that certainly gets the heart rate up!

“As a team, we will get everyone up and down the route and with a good breeze behind us, we should complete the challenge in about 6-7 hours.

“The only snag is we can’t control is the weather, which we know is generally on the wrong side of ‘clement’. But we all have the right equipment and energy snacks and water for the route, so are fully prepared to take Snowdon on for everything it throws at us.”

The team have set up a Just Giving page for anyone who wishes to donate.

Find out more about the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation’s work.