A brave team of colleagues are to conquer the Wales Three Peaks challenge in 24 hours for a family going through child cancer.

Sixteen colleagues from Jewson’s builder's merchants have taken on the mad challenge of climbing three of Wales’ highest peaks- Snowdon, Cadair Idris and Pen Y Fan - in aid of children’s hospice Tŷ Hafan.

Ian Lewis, Business Development Manager from Aberystwyth’s branch, has been training up to 12 miles a weekend and hiking four miles on weeknights to prepare for the epic challenge.

The 60-year-old from Bow Street said: “We’re doing it in aid of our colleague in south Wales whose child has cancer and is being looked after by Tŷ Hafan.

“I’ve run three marathons for Tŷ Hafan in the past, but I’ve only been up Cadair Idris once and it nearly killed me.”

Ian Lewis (left) in training for this year's challenge and the team coming down from their Pen Y Fan hike in 2023
Ian Lewis (left) in training for this year's challenge and the team coming down from their Pen Y Fan hike in 2023 (Jewson)

Lewis had cancer himself in the last 18 months but hopes to leg it up the 9,397 feet and across the 20.35 miles to complete the challenge on 8 June.

He says the hardest thing will be the timings- starting Snowdon at 4am for a six-hour climb, then a two-hour drive to Cadair for a 3.5-hour climb, then a two-hour drive to Pen Y Fan to start the last climb by 7.30pm.

The team from across Wales hope to raise £7,000 for the charity that takes millions to run each year, all through donations, to work with families with children facing end-of-life care.

Tŷ Hafan works ‘to make sure no family in Wales faces their child’s short life alone’.

The charity offers end-of-life care for children with life-limiting conditions, symptom management, crisis and emergency respite stays, and therapy and sensory play.

For families, they offer practical support and advocacy, pastoral care and bereavement support.

The charity is hosting the Three Peaks day with the help of GE Aerospace volunteers, when the Jewson team will join travellers from across the world to attempt the huge feat.

The team have so far raised over £4,000 of their target- to donate or learn more head to their JustGiving page.