A group of 30 fundraising hikers from the transport industry trekked up Wales' highest mountain on Saturday (6 July) to celebrate the memory of a former colleague, raising more than £18,000 for international development charity, Transaid.
The walk, which started at 9.00am, and took six hours was held as a tribute to Peter Huntley, the former Managing Director of Go North East and founder of specialist public transport consultants TAS Partnership, who died last year whilst training for an expedition to the North Pole.
Mr Huntley was a keen walker, cyclist and climber and had raised thousands of pounds in his lifetime for charities. He had hoped to raise £10,000 for Transaid with a trek from Russia to the Arctic Circle.
The hiking group was made up of Mr Huntley's close family and friends, colleagues and charitable supporters from the rail, bus, coach and transport industries, as well as four-legged fundraiser Archie the dog. All walkers successfully climbed along the mountain's Pyg Track to a height of 3,560 ft., taking in the stunning views of the Llanberis Lakes and enjoying the beautiful weather.
After reaching the summit the group paused for a well-deserved rest and photos, before making their way back down the mountain via the Llanberis path, ending the walk at a local pub to share memories of Peter and toast the achievements of the day.
Gary Forster, Chief Executive of Transaid, says: "The Snowdon expedition was a fantastic event and we are incredibly thankful to all those who took part and donated. This money raised will help Transaid continue a number of important projects focusing on the improvement and development of transportation solutions in developing countries.
"Peter was a great champion of Transaid and his philanthropic spirit really spurred the walkers on when things got a little challenging on Saturday. We're delighted to have been able to hold this event in celebration of Peter's memory and to have the support of so many kind people."
Teams which took part in the walk included, Barber Smith, Barclays Corporate, Chester-le-Street Railway Station, TAS Partnership, Volvo Trucks, who were joined by representatives from Blackpool Transport, DHL, Ipswich Buses, Clipper Logistics, Passenger Transport Magazine, and Watchdogs Ltd.
For more information about any future Transaid events, please contact Florence Bearman on 020 7387 8136 or email Florence@transaid.org.