Supporters and staff from East Cheshire Hospice are going on a night out with a difference in north Wales this Saturday (Aug 2).
The hospice has a 40-strong team climbing Mount Snowdon during darkness while the rest of us are tucked up in bed.
Hikers include 16 nurses, health care assistants, physios and complementary therapists.
The challenging nine-mile trek along Llanberis Path starts at 2 am on Sunday with the ascent likely to take three to four hours.
Walkers will enjoy stunning views across Snowdonia National Park and the changing colours of the peaks as dawn breaks. A well-earned breakfast awaits afterwards.
Colleagues Caroline Allen and Alice Waterhouse have been busy preparing.
Caroline, a health care assistant, said: “Alice and I walk a lot and go to the gym. We’ve hiked that far before but not overnight.
“I work night shifts so am used to staying up all night, but I also know how tired you can feel. I think we’ll be psyched up by the occasion.”
“Organising training groups is hard because we all work different hours. The ward will still be fully staffed when we are away. For some not doing the trek, the trip is their idea of hell.”
Alice is following in the footsteps of her mum Carol.
Carol was a ward manager at the Hospice but came out of retirement to continue as a bank nurse. She is also a volunteer gardener.
Alice said: “I’m taking a slightly different route to mum. I’m a physio rather than a nurse.
“I’ve been here permanently for a year but have had links with the Hospice most of my life because of mum. She told me what a great place it is to work.
“Mum isn’t doing the trek. I don’t think I’d trust her. She’s a little clumsy and broke her wrist recently.
“As a physio I work more normal hours so it’s a long time since I’ve been up past midnight.”
Caroline said: “I’ve been here eight years and have no intention of working anywhere else.
“We see daily how vital it is to raise funds. It costs a lot to run the Hospice and we only get a small percentage of government funding.
“The staff love a fundraising challenge. We see the results of both our efforts, and those of all our supporters, when our patients get the best care.” * To donate visit www.justgiving.com/page/hospicehikers
