Five team members will have just 24 hours to hike 100km along the beautiful Jurassic Coast to raise funds for the NSPCC, a charity dedicated to ending child abuse in the UK. The race is on to reach our fundraising target required to qualify for the event, any contributions will be greatly appreciated and will support the NSPCC in providing vital services for vulnerable children across the UK. As the team lace up their boots and begin training, we invite you to follow their journey to the Ultra Challenge!
The five brave people who have decided to take on this challenge in support of the NSPCC are:
Alex Hamp: Sales Director at Paradise, Ultra Challenge team leader, second-time Ultra Challenge participant and Luna's dad.
Ashley Curtis: IT Support Engineer, previously ran the 80km Equinox 24-hour race and plans to run it again this year, will probably run the Ultra Challenge too!
Gareth Whyley: Project Manager at Paradise, enjoys daily lunchtime walks but is levelling up his training to tackle the 100km challenge!
Robert Machin: Sage Support Specialist, completed the Sage Foundation's 3 Peaks Challenge last year and can't wait to climb more mountains.
Rachmann Joubert: Sage Support Specialist, enjoys walking with his three dogs and would rather walk three hours home than catch the bus!
The team will head down to Dorset for the 18th and 19th of May, where they will embark on their continuous 100km trek along the stunning Jurassic Coast. Apart from some short breaks to rest and refuel, they'll walk continuously from Corfe Castle to the finish line in Bridport on the coast!
The route will take them past some stunning views on the Isle of Purbeck, towards Swanage and then along the Purbeck Ridge to Lulworth Cove & Durdle Door. From there, the team heads towards Weymouth and on to the far end of Chesil Beach, then to West Bay with its famous sandstone cliffs before crossing the finish line at Bridport. The 100km hike has an elevation of 2300 metres over the beautiful coastline of the south coast.
Paradise Computing has chosen to fundraise for the NSPCC – a children’s charity dedicated to preventing child abuse. The NSPCC’s mission is to protect children from cruelty and neglect and advocate for their welfare and mental health; they believe that ‘every childhood is worth fighting for’. The charity relies on donations to fund its vital services which provide support to children, families and schools across the country. For instance, the NSPCC’s Speak Out Stay Safe programme teaches children in an age-appropriate way what to do if they feel unsafe. Learn more about the NSPCC here.
“The NSPCC is a fantastic charity that protects and advocates for vulnerable children across the country. We’re really grateful to see so many people showing their support already.” - Alex Hamp
With 10 weeks to go before the Ultra Challenge, training is well underway. Ashley goes on regular weekend walks when he's not providing weekend IT support, while Robert's using his weekly football and rock climbing sessions to keep fit and train for the hike, he says, "Any form of exercise is good preparation!". Alex recently took on a 30km training walk along the Brampton Valley Way & Pitsford Reservoir accompanied by Luna.
The team are also looking forward to their upcoming Three Peaks Challenge in Yorkshire. This 40km walk will be a great warm-up for the main event. This hilly climb takes walkers over the three peaks, Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough. Check-in soon to see how they get on!
"Training for this challenge has allowed me to test my limits and see how far I can push myself. It's been really rewarding to see my progress and I can't wait to complete the challenge!" - Rachmann Joubert
We couldn't be more excited to see what Team Paradise get up to next on their training journey. Stay tuned for future updates and to see how their Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge goes!
Join us in supporting the NSPCC by sponsoring our Ultra Challenge. Every donation, no matter the size, helps protect children and prevent abuse. Together, we can create a safer, happier future for every child. Visit our Just Giving page here to donate and be a part of this incredible effort.
Thank you for your support!
Let's meet Paradise Computing's Project Manager, Gareth Whyley. Gareth has a background in IT consultancy and is a specialist in compliance and project management. He is passionate about helping our clients achieve their goals.
Today, we’re shining the spotlight on Rachmann Joubert, a Sage Support Specialist who has brought his wealth of software development experience to the role to help build solutions for our clients.
Today we're getting to know one of Paradise Computing's IT Support Engineers - Ashley Curtis. Ashley plays a vital role in supporting the IT infrastructure of our clients and supports them with his expert IT knowledge.