Ed’s challenge to help his grandpa and other men
A 15-year-old Bath school boy has completed four endurance challenges in six weeks to raise more than £5,000 for a national prostate cancer charity. Edward Hayes, a pupil at Beechen Cliff School, decided to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK when his grandfather Dr Richard Hayes, 74, was diagnosed with the disease in April. He said the school is very supportive of pupils getting involved in activities and normally would do one or two a year. He said: “This year I thought I would do the Ten Tors, Three Peaks and Centurion Challenge all together, to try to raise money to support Prostate Cancer UK and make sure that more people are aware of this disease and try to help people get diagnosed earlier so that they can be treated.” The teenager was the leader of his team for the Ten Tors challenge at the end of May and had to hike 35 miles across the rough terrain of Dartmoor, visiting 10 nominated tors in under two days. He added: “We had to be self-sufficient, navigate the route with map and compass and carry everything we needed to complete the route and stay out overnight safely on the moor.” The next month brought the March for Men in Bristol, organised by Prostate Cancer UK which he did with his family but added: “To make sure it was a proper endurance challenge I ran the whole 10k course twice.” And not content with that in June, on the last weekend he took on the National Three Peaks Challenge with other pupils from his school, scaling the three highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales over one weekend – Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Mount Snowdon. “We walked 23 miles (37km) and climbed the overall total of 3,064 metres (10,052ft),” Ed said. “It was really hot and sunny the whole time but we had some amazing views and sunrises from the top of the mountains and there was still snow on the top of Ben Nevis.” But even that wasn’t enough with Ed then deciding to finish his marathon task with the school’s annual Centurion Challenge. He said: “This event has been running at my school for 50 years and is a 100-mile walk from Bath to Hungerford and back. It must be completed within 48 hours in order to be a “Centurion”, because it was so hot this year, for safety reasons the walk was shortened to 50 miles in 24 hours. I was really disappointed because I wanted to do the full 100. “Even though he’s on chemotherapy at the moment, my grandpa got to watch me come in at the finish and gave me a massive hug. We were both a bit tearful.” Ed achieved the impressive time of eight hours and 57 minutes despite battling a big blister on his heel but despite that and the heat and the with the support of family and friends he has raised more than £5,000 for Prostate Cancer UK. The end of the day was marked with a special treat. He said: “When I got home, my great uncle presented me with an ice axe. “He was one of the first people to do the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award in 1959 and went on an expedition to Greenland with Sir John Hunt and Sir Edmund Hillary. “This was the axe that he took on that expedition and he gave it to me to celebrate successfully finishing these challenges.” To cap it all off Ed and his family then went to watch England beat Sweden. He said: “It was a brilliant end to an emotional day. I’m really grateful to everyone who has sponsored me for doing these four events, to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK.” To make a donation, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/edhayes1 and for more information about prostate cancer visit www. prostatecanceruk.org
My grandpa gave me a massive hug. We were both a bit tearful