Four Keswick women whose lives have been touched by a debilitating and incurable condition that afflicts thousands of people in the UK are to undertake a marathon mountain challenge to raise funds to combat it.
Cousins Sarah Lamb, 24, and 25-year-old Nadia Lamb, along with their friends Amy Morin, 28, and Helena Eddington, 23, will each tackle this year’s annual 10 in 10 trek, starting and finishing at the Swinside Inn, in the Newlands Valley.
Participants hike for 26km, taking in the summits of Causey Pike, Sail, Crag Hill, Wandope, Whiteless Pike, High Snockrigg, Robinson, Dale Head, High Spy and Maiden Moor in under 10 hours.
This year’s event is on Saturday, June 19. and the quartet are raising money for the MS Society.
Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disease that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance.
It is a lifelong condition which affects 130,000 people in the UK.
The 10 in 10 challenge was designed and created by Yvonne Booth whose husband, Duncan, was diagnosed with MS in 2010 at the age of 39.
He was an elite rock climber and a teacher at St Herbert’s Primary School in Keswick.
Sarah and Nadia were taught by Duncan, while Helena is a teaching assistant at the school and Amy has had a family member who was affected by the condition.
“We have all been touched by MS in some way,” said Amy, who along with Sarah and Helena, is a childcare practitioner at Little Monkeys day nursery in Keswick.
“We have either had a family member that has suffered through having the disease — and Duncan Booth has taught two of the girls. We had a look at their (Yvonne and Duncan’s) fundraising and thought: ‘We want in on that’.
“Through lockdown, we fell in love with the fells and started completing the Wainwrights, doing as many fells locally as we could. We decided to raise as much money as possible for charity and set our sights on raising £10,000 for MS by doing the 10 in 10.
“Between us we have all covered the fells in the 10 in 10 at some point. We have all got a lot of experience on the fells and have started our training already,” added Amy.
At the weekend, Amy, her five-year-old daughter Allie, and Sarah walked up Causey Pike and then on to Scar Crags. Allie has also started on the Wainwright trail, having already completed 30, and has been designated chief baker when the women have a bake sale in Threlkeld on Easter Sunday.
A raffle has been organised by the four and many local businesses have donated some “amazing” prizes, four of which are weekend holidays; another features a hotel giving away £120 in food and drink vouchers for a family of four; and a local photographer has also offered an outdoor shoot.
Tickets are available at £5 each and earlier this week 325 had been sold.
“We want as many people as possible to get behind us and raise as much money as we can for this charity that we are so passionate about,” said Sarah. “We have set up a Facebook page, and we are going to draw the raffle live on Saturday, May 1.
“I have grown up in Keswick and Duncan Booth was my teacher at St Herbert’s.
“In one way or another MS has touched all of our hearts. When you see local people making the difference that Duncan and Yvonne have, it becomes infectious and you want to get on board and help.
“We are all keen fell walkers and are currently completing our own Wainwright challenges, which we recognise to be one of our huge saviours during this recent lockdown.
“So when you can combine the two together to raise money for an amazing cause, it’s a no brainer.”
To support the women visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/10in10NASH
