Two of the Cygnet Health Care staff members and one service user trekked to the summit of Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales and England, raising £225 for The Fire Fighters Charity.
The charity provides health, wellbeing and practical support to serving and retired members of the fire service and their families.
Kieran Maplesden, Occupational Therapy Assistant at Cygnet Hospital Derby, was one of the staff members who completed the climb and shared the team’s motivation for raising funds.
“This was a monumental occasion, and we wanted to raise awareness for all of the wildfires experienced in the Peak District this year,” explained Kieran.
“There is often a lot of focus on that from a climate change perspective, but there is rarely a voice for those who fight the fires and protect the beautiful wildlife we’ve been enjoying on the walks.”
The trek was inspired by the Cygnet Health Care service’s Occupational Therapy team, who led a six-week programme encouraging service users to get involved in a therapeutic walking group.
With seven service users signing up to the group, participants completed a series of challenging hikes, including Dovedale, the Tissington Trail and Kinder Scout.
One of the group’s attendees took on the concluding challenge of hiking up Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon not only for her personal achievement but also for her passion to raise funds for The Fire Fighters Charity.
Reflecting on the service user’s success, Kieran said: “We are incredibly proud of her progress and achievements. Over the past few years, she has consistently exceeded her goals, showing great determination and how far she has come.”
Motivated throughout the challenging climb by the phrase “big breaths and small steps”, the service user described climbing the 3,560ft mountain as a “huge personal achievement” which gave her a “strong sense of pride and accomplishment”.
“For the whole walking group, success was measured by individual progress rather than completion alone. Each hike introduced greater distances, steeper inclines and more complex terrain, enabling participants to build confidence, resilience and self-belief,” explained Kieran.
“Walking is known to benefit both physical and mental wellbeing. Research suggests it can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression whilst improving confidence, social connectedness and overall wellbeing.”
