Student Ben set for second mammoth charity challenge for Emmaus North Staffs
A UNIVERSITY student is embarking on a challenge to raise awareness for a local North Staffordshire charity.
Ben Sutton, who is based at Keele University, is set to cycle 110 miles from Stoke-on-Trent to Snowdon, climb Snowdon, and then return along with seven University friends.
The fundraiser is the second time the medical student has chosen to raise awareness for Emmaus North Staffs. In 2023 he completed a series of challenges throughout one week, which included sleeping rough for several nights, taking part in a dodgeball tournament and cycling up and down Keele Hill, in Newcastle-under-Lyme for 24 hours.
The first challenge raised more than a thousand pounds for the charity – which works to tackle furniture poverty, homelessness and social exclusion across North Staffordshire.
Ben (pictured after 2023’s challenge) said about this year’s event: “Emmaus North Staffs do great work in the area, but there is still an ongoing problem with homelessness and poverty and if we can help to raise even more awareness then we will do what we can.
“As a medical student and being around hospitals we see the affects of homelessness first hand and I’d like to do what I can to help.”
John Webbe, Executive Lead at Emmaus North Staffs, said: “Ben did incredible last year helping to raise awareness for our charity and when he contacted us again to say what he was doing this year is amazing.
“To have continued support from Ben means so much to us and we cannot wait to thank him in person once he is back from the Snowdon challenge.”
Ben and his team are due to leave Stoke-on-Trent at midnight on Friday 17 May, to reach Snowdon and take on the climb on Saturday 18 May before returning home.
For more details about Ben’s challenge visit his Go Fund Me page HERE
Emmaus North Staffs partners with local councils and housing associations to offer free items to over 850 households without access to essential furniture and appliances. The charity’s large store is located in the Potteries Centre and they also have a Home & Furniture Charity Emporium, in Etruria. Both are open to the public six days a week.
The charity runs their own Beds for Kids campaign which helps to provide beds to local children who do not have one of their own. More details can be found here – https://emmaus.org.uk/north-staffs/beds-for-kids/
