Swiftclean’s Snowdon Charity Challenge

A Personal Perspective, From Marketing Manager Jackie

A Tougher Climb Than Expected

What can I say? It was far harder than I’d anticipated and, having been sporty for most of my life, this came as quite a surprise!

Having said that, I loved every minute of it – even when my lungs were fighting for breath and my legs were shaking after three hours of climbing (I’m not even going to mention the stumble/slide/climb back down!).

Who from Swiftclean Climbed?

The challenge was undertaken by an amazing team consisting of Gary (MD), Chloe (Operations Director), Emily (Service Delivery Account Manager and organiser of the trek), Vinney (Business Systems & Digital Media Lead), Alison (Client Service Manager), Aaron (Compliance Supervisor), Richard (Compliance Supervisor), Matt (Compliance Supervisor), Lee (Technical Sales Consultant) and me (Marketing Manager).

Not a very auspicious start, as it took us nearly 10 hours to drive from Essex to Wales. Hats off to our MD, Gary, for keeping composed in the traffic and patiently dealing with accident hold-ups while Chloe and I tried not to let it dampen our enthusiasm. The rest of the crew fared slightly better. Having left before us in an A-Team-looking van, Rhys, our Stores Manager and driver extraordinaire, managed to avoid the final blockage and arrived at our restaurant destination in Bangor an hour before us.

The weather was HOT! This was Wales and, as someone who originates from South Wales, I had prepared for rain, strong winds and cooler temperatures at the summit. How wrong I was. We were blessed with beautiful sunshine throughout the day and stunning views everywhere we looked.

Anyway, back to the trek.

The plan was to climb up the Pyg Track and return via the Miners’ Track. It became clear after about 15 minutes that I was going to spend most of the day at the back, which was absolutely fine. My only concern was holding everyone up, especially as the group was keen to get back in time to watch England play in the World Cup. Sorry, guys!

One thing I definitely hadn’t expected was the rough boulder “steps”. They may have been straightforward for those of average height, but for us vertically challenged people they were a challenge in themselves!

One of the best things about the trek was getting to know everyone better. I didn’t know Aaron, Richard or Matt particularly well beforehand, but what a lovely bunch of guys. We’re incredibly lucky at Swiftclean to have such great people working here. It was wonderful hearing about everyone’s lives and families as we made our way up the mountain.

Reaching the Summit

After what felt like a very long climb, we finally reached the summit and were rewarded with the most spectacular views. Plenty of people have climbed Snowdon, but not everyone is fortunate enough to experience such clear conditions at the top.

The journey down brought its own challenges, but halfway back a stunning mountain lake proved too tempting for most of the team. Several brave souls took the plunge to cool tired bodies and escape the heat for a while. Did I mention it was HOT?!

The heat was relentless and, having started at the foot of the mountain at 8:45am, we didn’t make it back down until around 6pm. To add to the adventure, we then discovered that the road where our minibus was due to collect us had been closed. Fortunately, the pub across the road was open, allowing us to rest our tired legs and enjoy a very well-deserved drink.

One amusing anecdote from the day came courtesy of Rhys. While waiting for us in the minibus, he apparently fell asleep with the side door open and was woken by a strange noise. To his surprise, he discovered that Shaun the Sheep had decided to climb aboard and join him! We’re still not sure who was more shocked.

From a personal point of view, there are a few people I’d like to thank.

Vinney – your patience, kindness and calmness were incredible. I genuinely couldn’t have done it without you.

Gary – thank you for giving us the opportunity, as well as the funding, to take on this challenge. Your generosity is second to none. I only wish I’d been further down the mountain so I could have witnessed Chloe pulling you, fully clothed, into the freezing lake!

Chloe – your energy is unbelievable. Tennis the day after climbing Snowdon? Why not! Thank you also for driving on the return journey.

Aaron – thank you for walking with me during the final stretch. It was great getting to know you and hearing about your family.

Alison – you did brilliantly, especially as a fellow vertically challenged teammate! Thank you for your constant encouragement and positivity.

Emily – you’re an absolute machine. A relatively new mum, I was amazed by your energy. You raced up the mountain with a huge smile on your face, without walking poles, then somehow still had enough energy to head to the pub, watch the football and secure even more sponsorship!

Richard and Matt – although we didn’t spend much time together on the mountain, it was lovely chatting with you both in Bangor. You’re genuine, lovely people and I really enjoyed getting to know you.

Lee – what can I say? Despite struggling with heatstroke near the summit, you recovered quickly and battled on. Incredible determination.

Raising Money for Great Ormond Street Children’s Charity

Looking back, it was a truly wonderful experience. Seeing the sponsorship donations rise throughout the challenge gave us all the motivation we needed to keep putting one foot in front of the other. We were raising funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, and it was surprising to discover just how many lives the hospital has touched.

Thank You for Your Support

To date, we have raised £2,529, smashing our original target of £1,500. Thank you so much to everyone who supported us – you’re amazing!