A father-of-five who was injured in an explosion in Afghanistan will take on the Three Peaks challenge to help children from north and mid Wales.

Sergeant Steve Evans, who lives in Harlech, will climb 13,200ft across the three peaks of Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon, and cycle the 450 miles between them.

He will do all of this unassisted to support Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith Children’s Hospices.

“Sleeping only in a Bivi on the roadside and carrying all my equipment on my bike is going to be quite a challenge,” said Steve.

“I will be aiming to complete this in five days averaging 90 miles a day on the bike with the three summits.”

Steve, 41, had been a keen runner before the explosion that changed his life in 2012.

The vehicle Steve was in ran over an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The resulting explosion left him with serious muscle tears to his back and legs.

Now Steve suffers intense pain when running any distance. He made the tough decision that he would have to stop running and decided to get himself a bike.

“I had rehab for years and I just had to decide that I could no longer run,” said Steve. “I picked up a bike and that has allowed me to keep doing exercise, which I love.”

During the pandemic, Steve decided he wanted to train to do something to help out Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith Children’s hospices which care for children across north and mid Wales and needs £7.5 million a year to run its services.

“I think it is a remarkable charity,” added Steve.

“I know that the pandemic has put a lot of strain on charities and I just wanted to give something back to the community and to help seriously ill children,” said Steve.

“I want to put something back into the community.”

Fundraiser, Sarah Ritchie, offered “a huge thank you to Steve who is taking on this gruelling challenge to support seriously ill local children”.

“Without people like Steve we simply wouldn’t be able to be here for the children and families that needs us the most,” she added.

“It won’t be easy, that’s for sure, but we’ll be cheering Steve on from the hospices with every pedal and each step.

Good luck Steve!”

Steve will take start the gruelling challenge next Tuesday, 29 March. It takes in the Ben Nevis, Scafell pike and Snowdon.

“I begin in Scotland with Ben Nevis, cycling then to the Lake District to do Scafell Pike and then to Wales to complete the event at Snowdon,” said Steve.

“I aim to do this unsupported, sleeping only in a Bivi, carrying all my equipment on my bike.

“I aim to complete this in five days, averaging 90 miles a day on the bike.

People can donate to his fundraising page at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Steven-Evans140.

Steve has raised £490 so far.

Hope House Children’s Hospices is there to make sure that no one faces the death of their child alone.

The charity supports more than 750 local families who are either caring for a terminally ill child, or whose child has died.

It costs £7.5 million every year to run, and 86 per cent of this is spent on care. Approximately two month’s income comes from statutory sources and for the other 10 months of the year they are dependent on public support.

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