The Epsom Trailblazers, a group of 23 dads in their 40s and 50s from the Epsom area are back for their 5th charity hike!
On 14th June, they will take on the “Carneddau (mountain) to Coast” challenge across the rugged mountains of North Wales, tackling 11 peaks, 30km and 1700m of ascent in one day, all in aid of two amazing charities.
Established in 2016, the Trailblazers’ charity hikes have raised over £55,000 in recent years, and this year’s target is a massive £10,000 for their chosen charities – one local and one national. The bi-annual walking challenges plus many months of training routines have helped the Trailblazers become great friends as well as shaking off some excess kilos in the process!
According to four-times Trailblazer John Croome “The Trailblazers have all been training really hard this year, hiking endless repeats of the Box Hill ascent every weekend in preparation for the Carneddau challenge and getting in shape any way we can. We think we are ready, and are really looking forward to the hike to raise much-needed funds for these great charities.”
The Trailblazers have chosen to support national charity The Brain Tumour Charity, due to a close personal connection for one of the hikers, as well as Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation for Disabled People as their local charity. The Surrey based charity’s range of expert services support disabled people of all ages to maximise their independence and achieve their potential. The group also has a personal link with QEF with one of the Trailblazers, Philip Kirk, working there and also having personally benefitted from their services.
Philip says; ‘Working for QEF for nearly 10 years, I know what an amazing charity it is, and how many vulnerable lives are affected for the better, including my own. When I fell off my bike in 2016 and landed on my head, I had severe post-concussion syndrome (PCS). This affected my everyday life and meant the normal tasks I always took for granted became very challenging. It took over 6 months of recovery, working with one of QEF’s neuropsychologists who explained why I had difficulty with certain issues and helping me with strategies to overcome these difficulties.”
Phil continues “From the 24 blokes signed up for the walk, there were around 10 charities that were proposed. I put the case forward for QEF and am delighted that QEF has been chosen as one of the two charities we will be raising money for. This does mean that for me (and my dodgy knee) there is no backing out now! I am determined to survive the walk on Saturday 14th June, get through the pain, and see how much money we can raise for charity.”
If you’d like to support the Trailblazers 2025 challenge and help them achieve their £10,000 target for two great charities, please visit www.givewheel.com/fundraising/8095/trailblazers-2025-carneddau-to-coast/
