Sport challenge success for LSBU

Graduates, students and staff of LSBU have been getting involved in a variety of sporting challenges as part of the LSBU Challenge Club.

LSBU students and staff on their Three Peaks Challenge

 

In July, a group of students and staff decided to attempt a big challenge: to climb the three highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales within 24 hours. Several months of arduous training, walks, and gym sessions at the Academy Sport Centre followed, and the team set off last month to attempt the challenge. 

As a result of this venture, the LSBU Academy of Sport Three Peaks Challenge Team raised almost £1,300 for Great Ormond Street Hospital in their attempt to climb the three highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales. The team – made up of students and staff made great progress with climbing the biggest mountains the country. This is a massive achievement in itself, given many of the team had never climbed a mountain.

Despite this achievement the challenge had to be halted half way up the second, Scafell Pike, because of torrential rain and high winds; yet they returned victorious in the knowledge they had attempted the challenge and raised money that will help sick children get better. 

Phil Newman, Head of Sport and Recreation said: “The team worked hard to achieve this challenge and although they were prevented from continuing because of the weather, they still achieved a tremendous amount. Challenges are about so much more than the end goal: they are about pushing yourself beyond what you expect you can achieve, attempting what appears to be impossible, and doing for good reason. The team did that and I am proud that we supported them.” 

Matthew Huggins, the student who worked with Academy staff to put the team together said: “Each team member got something from the challenge. They overcame personal and physical obstacles and they learnt something about themselves and their team members. That is what such challenges are about. This would not have been possible without the funding and support of the LSBU Academy of Sport.”

In addition to this fantastic achievement, Iain Killoughery, Student Sport and Activities manager at LSBU ran the Las Vegas marathon on 17 November alongside his brother Graham and Brain McEnteggart (an LSBU alumnus). Each of them ran the marathon for a different charity; Brian for the Stroke Association, Graham for Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital and Iain for the British Heart Foundation. The runners exceeded their target of £1000 – take a look at their fundraising page. 

Iain, Graham and Brian ran the marathon under the banner of the LSBU Challenge Club which is a new club created this year. The club’s aim is to support anyone who is looking to undertake a challenge, whether this be a fundraising event for a charity or just a personal challenge. The club offers advice support and guidance to these individuals; this could be with training programmes, nutritional advice and strategies for the event. They hope that over time this builds into a significant club which can make a strong contribution to RAG (Raise and Give) activities at LSBU.