On 11 June, Joe, Emily, Oliver and Meg from the Private Wealth Disputes team took on the Welsh 3 Peaks in aid of Tŷ Hafan. The challenge was to climb Snowdon, Cadair Idris and Pen-y-Fan in 15 hours and to raise as much money as possible for the South Wales-based charity which provides essential palliative care to children with life-limiting conditions and their families throughout Wales.
It was an early start to the day (3am to be precise!) and designated driver, Roman, had waved us off at the base of Snowdon by 4am. We were instantly greeted by Tŷ Hafan marshals who informed us of the treacherous conditions and 50mph winds that lay ahead. Thankfully, we were too tired to give much thought to the weather, so we set off in relatively good spirits. Unfortunately, the views were limited but we powered through, and the positivity and encouragement of the Tŷ Hafan volunteers kept us going despite the dreary weather. Before we knew it, Snowdon was complete, and we were en route to Cadair Idris (via Starbucks to keep the energy levels up!).
Unfortunately, the conditions were even worse at Cadair Idris and the weather, paired with the steep incline made for a challenging climb. But we did not let that stop us and with the cheers and reassurance of Tŷ Hafan’s volunteers (and us being self-proclaimed seasoned hikers at this point), we marched on without complaint. Before we knew it, we’d completed the second of the three peaks and were greeted at the base to a round of applause from Tŷ Hafan. However, there was no time to spare, and we were straight back in the car and on the way to Pen-y-Fan (via Greggs this time!).
This peak Roman was allowed to hike with us (though it must be said that at this point, the rest of us were in no fit state to keep up with his marching). Thankfully, the weather had cleared, the sun was shining, and we finally got to admire the views and take some team photos. When we got to the summit, we realised that we’d achieved what we set out to do! On our way down, we were greeted with medals by the lovely Tŷ Hafan volunteers who told us how much the work the charity does means to some of them on a personal level.
Roman Kubiak, Head of Private Wealth Disputes, said:
I’m incredibly proud of what the team achieved, both with the challenge itself and with the amount raised for such a fantastic cause.
Hearing these stories at the end of a tough and tiring day put everything into perspective. Tŷ Hafan is one of the country’s leading paediatric palliative care charities, providing essential support to families across Wales in their time of need. They provide a safe space for children and their families. Whether it be at their hospice in the Vale of Glamorgan, at home or in the local community, they help families make the most of the time they have left together and have helped over 1100 children since their founding in 1999.
Joe, a Solicitor in the Private Wealth Disputes team, said:
Great exercise, great day, great company but above all, a great cause.
In order to provide its free services, Tŷ Hafan has to raise £4.5 million every year. They employ specialist staff including children’s nurses, family support workers and play workers to ensure families receive the best care possible and create memories that they will cherish forever. When a child dies, Tŷ Hafan continues to offer support to their family for as long as it is needed, their ethos being to never stop caring for the bereaved.
Knowing that we were hiking to support such an amazing cause is what kept us going. Given the increasing number of children and families Tŷ Hafan are caring for every year, and having gained an understanding of the impact each donation has, we would be extremely proud to achieve our fundraising target of £1200. We’re very close to hitting target and so any further donations will be very gratefully received.
We must also give a special thanks to each Tŷ Hafan volunteer we met on the day as their positivity and enthusiasm at every checkpoint was infectious!
