Mountain challenge completed by Joseph KATHERINE BAINBRIDGE
ADeTeRMINeD seven-year-old climbed to the top of Britain’s highest peak in 80mph winds to raise cash for the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
Joseph Hibbert battled awful conditions on Ben Nevis because he was worried poorly kids wouldn’t get the money unless he reached the summit.
Joseph, from Cheadle Hulme, has been fundraising for the charity since he was just three years old, after he watched a video about it and decided he wanted to do something for the poorly children at the hospital.
So far he has taken part in six races – including setting himself the challenge of running 5k before the age of five – and raised thousands of pounds.
This year he decided to up the ante even further by climbing the 1,345metre high Scottish mountain.
His mum Shelley Hibbert said: “We were a bit concerned as the weather forecast wasn’t great.
“We got chatting to a guide in the hotel the night before and he said once you get halfway you’ll know if you can make it to the top.
“We got to the halfway point and it wasn’t actually too bad, just a bit drizzly. But when we got three-quarters of the way up, the weather really turned – there were winds of up to 80mph and it was hailing.
“Joseph really wanted to keep going, he was worried the poorly children wouldn’t get the money if we didn’t get to the top.
“We bumped into the same guide again and he told us there were plenty of people on the mountain who could help us if we got into trouble, so we decided to keep going, and we made it but the weather was horrendous.”
Shelley says Joseph has well and truly caught the fundraising bug. He is already planning to do another challenge next year and wants to get other children his age involved.
So far his Ben Nevis climb has raised over £6,000, smashing his original target of £1,500.
Angela Rowe, community fundraising manager at RMCH Charity, said: “Joseph really is a remarkable little boy. I hear of many weird and wonderful ways that people fundraise for us but we’ve never had anyone as young as Joseph take on a challenge like this.
“It’s admirable that he is so dedicated to helping other children less fortunate than him.”
To find out more or make a donation visit justgiving.com/fundraising/ David-Hibbert4.