A team from The Midcounties Co-operative are swapping their desks and computers for hiking boots and walking poles as they prepare to take on the Three Peaks Challenge for charity.
The eight strong team, which is made up of members from Co-operative Employee Benefits, Energy, Retail and Finance, are getting ready to walk over 25 miles in a three day trek which will see them climb Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon, to raise money for Women’s Aid, the key national charity working to end domestic violence against women and children.
As well as the traditional trekking kit the group will also have something a bit more unusual with them - a mountain bike. The team are taking the bike, donated by Halfords, on the trek to promote the Cycle to Work scheme offered by Co-operative Employee Benefits and will raffle the bike off for Women’s Aid during Green Travel Week in September.
Under the scheme, employees are able to purchase a bicycle through a salary sacrifice loan agreement and spread the cost of the bike over a 12 or 18 month period.
Tracy Wilson, Group Operations Manager for Co-operative Employee Benefits, said: “We wanted to do something challenging and we’ve all been training really hard over the last few months.
“We know it’s going to be tough and it will be even harder carrying a heavy mountain bike around with us but it will be worth it as we are supporting a very worthy cause.”
The team will head to Ben Nevis in Scotland on Thursday August 11 where they will endure a three day hike across a range of demanding terrains that will test their strength and stamina.
Tracy added: “We will be walking between six and eight hours a day but probably the most challenging part will be climbing Ben Nevis which is over 1344 metres.
“It really does mean a lot to us to see people generously donating for Women’s Aid and makes all our hard work over the last few months worthwhile. If anyone wants to make a donation they can visit http://www.justgiving/over-the-hills .”
Co-operative Employee Benefits offers childcare vouchers and a range of other employee benefits including Family Care Advice and the Cycle to Work scheme.
They are a leading ethical business, which is part of The Midcounties Co-operative, and re-invest profits into local projects and charities.