Students cycle to Snowdon to raise awareness for Emmaus North Staffs
A group of seven university students have cycled more than 200 miles to raise awareness for a local charity.
The medical students left their base at Keele University en route to Snowdon and completed the first part of the journey – 110 miles – by 11am on 18 May.
Following a rest they then travelled back the next day – completing another 110 miles – to raise awareness for Emmaus North Staffs.
It’s the second time organiser of the challenge, Ben Sutton has chosen to support 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 said about this year’s challenge: “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.
“The main motivator on this challenge was the fact that, as medical students, we see the effects of homelessness on both mental and physical health all the time. It seems to be quite common both in Stoke and Newcastle-under-Lyme, so we thought it would be good to try and help.”
When asked if Ben would be taking on another challenge he said: “We are not sure what challenge will be dreamt up for next year – but there definitely will be one.”
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 it was amazing.
“To have continued support from Ben and his friends is just brilliant and all helps. Furniture poverty is an issue in the area and no-one should be without the essentials to have comfort in their own homes and we aim to eradicate this where we can.”
For more details about the Snowdon challenge visit the Go Fund Me page HERE
For more information about Emmaus North Staffs visit HERE