'˜Magical' mountain climb for Crawley super slimmers

Members of a Crawley Slimming World group have celebrated their combined weight loss of just over ten stone by climbing Mount Snowdon together.
By The Newsroom
Published 20th Jun 2016, 13:19 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 22:44 BST
Slimming World members from the Southgate, Crawley group, climb Mount Snowdon raising more than £2,250 for Crae International - picture submittedSlimming World members from the Southgate, Crawley group, climb Mount Snowdon raising more than £2,250 for Crae International - picture submitted
Slimming World members from the Southgate, Crawley group, climb Mount Snowdon raising more than £2,250 for Crae International - picture submitted

The Southgate group consultant Chris Flynn and members Elaine Jones, Emma Piggott, Claire Stevenson, Louise Stevenson, Louise Philips and Dee Lazim have raised more than £2,270 by completing the challenge earlier this month.

Consultant Chris said: “It all started last August, when one of my members Elaine Jones, saw an add in the Slimming World magazine, from Care International, advertising a fundraising event. The idea was to climb Mount Snowdon, at night, with nothing more than moon light and head torches.

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“Very soon there were seven of us that all agreed we would love to take on this challenge. We each had to raise at least £250.”

Slimming World members from the Southgate, Crawley group, climb Mount Snowdon raising more than £2,250 for Crae International - picture submittedSlimming World members from the Southgate, Crawley group, climb Mount Snowdon raising more than £2,250 for Crae International - picture submitted
Slimming World members from the Southgate, Crawley group, climb Mount Snowdon raising more than £2,250 for Crae International - picture submitted

On Friday June 3, they set headed for Wales, which was a mammoth journey in itself.

Chris said that due to traffic delays, it took them nine hours to drive to Snowdonia, which means they arrived with just two hour until they had to register.

The girls quickly went to get some food, to set them up for the task ahead.

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Chris continued: “After we had registered, we set off. It was one of the most magical, but painful things we have ever done.

“It wasn’t easy to see our footings in the dark but we pushed each other bit by bit, and at around 5am, just over four hours after setting off we had arrived at the summit.

“This was a very emotional moment as we realised we had done it we had literally climb our mountain.

“However the worst was yet to come. The descent was unbelievably painful as with each step our toes were pushing on the front of our boots because the feet slide forward coming down. We were in so much pain.

“We got to the bottom at around 8.30 in the morning.

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“Having been up for about 26 to 27 hours without sleep, we were all emotional, exhausted and wanting our beds. Between us we had raised £2,270.50 and this amount is still rising.”

The ‘Magnificent Seven’ as they’ve become known, go to the group held at Southgate Primary School on Thursdays at 5.30pm and 7.30pm.

Now in its third year, members lost 888 stone between them in the first two years. So far this year, they have shed 221 stone.

For more information about Slimming World call Chris on 07703 451998.

Related topics:Wales