It was a day out of the office for company managing director James Sutherland.
But rather than idling away a few hours on the golf course, he chose to tackle Yorkshire’s Three Peaks – and throw in a 100-mile cycle ride for good measure.
James, managing director of Huddersfield-based architectural glazing firm Dortech, was joined in the strength-sapping challenge by Huddersfield man Wayne Allert, a residential social care worker, while another friend, solicitor John Barker, of Roberttown, was in the support vehicle.
Their efforts have raised almost £2,000 for the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice at Bradley – with donations still coming in online.
James and Wayne set out on their bikes from the hospice at Bradley in darkness at 4.30am and cycled 52 miles to Horton in Ribblesdale in three hours. There they ditched the bikes to tackle the Yorkshire’s three highest peaks of Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough, which they scaled in seven hours, before recovering their bikes to cycle back to the hospice, which they reached at 5.30pm.
“We were cycling for six hours and spent seven hours running and scrambling up the peaks, said James. “Anything could have happened, but the only thing that went wrong was when I got a puncture. It was a perfect day with the sun shining.”
James, who lives in Leeds, said he had wanted to raise funds for the hospice, but could not devote a lot of time to it due to work commitments at Dortech, which is based at Old Fieldhouse Lane.
“It was organised on the spur of the moment,” he said. “I decided to do as much as I could in the course of a single day and luckily, I had the support of Wayne and John.”
James, who is a keen cyclist, only returned to the saddle in February after an operation on his shoulder, which he damaged after being knocked off his bike.
He said he planned to repeat the Three Peaks challenge next year when he hopes more people will take part.
“Firstly, I am honoured to be affiliated with the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice,” said James. “They are an incredible charty that provide a truey remarkable service under such very difficult conditions.
“Secondly, I would like to thank all those who have given their support to this event in organising and participating in it. Their help is very much appreciated!”
