CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN
23rd July 2010

dataplex financial director, Dave Robertson, has successfully completed the famous Three Peaks Challenge in under 24 hours and helped to raise over £2,500 for St Rocco’s Hospice in Warrington, Cheshire.

Despite appalling weather, Robertson and friends, Andrew Jennings and Stephen Wellbelove, reached the summits of the UK’s three highest peaks - Scotland’s Ben Nevis, England’s Scafell Pike and Snowdon in Wales - in 22 hours, 30 minutes.

Dave said: “It was pouring with rain and blowing a gale almost throughout the whole weekend which made conditions pretty tough.  On Ben Nevis, we started our climb at 6.30am and the weather was atrocious.  It was all pretty dramatic with a biting wind and horizontal rain.  As we got to the summit, we couldn’t see the stone at the top, even though it was just a few feet away.”

Dave continued: “We hit the base of Scarfell Pike in the dark and began our climb at 4am.  We helped a group who were lost and managed to complete our climb in four hours and 40 minutes.  On Snowdon the weather was sunny so it meant we were dodging the tourists to keep up our pace.

“The whole experience was amazing.  It was an enormous challenge physically and mentally.  The sense of adventure and the satisfaction of achieving our goal is something I’ll remember for a long time.”

Dave, from Warrington, heads the financial and administration departments of dataplex, the UK’s leading independent ICT company working in business, industry and the public sector.  He’s based in the company’s Manchester office in Orbit House, Eccles.

St Rocco’s opened in Warrington 25 years ago to help improve the quality of life of patients with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.  Dave said: “We all suffered from some very tired muscles and a few aches and pains but it was worth it for St Rocco’s We wanted to combine our challenge with putting something back into our local community and we all believe that St Rocco’s provides excellent care for its patients.  I’m really grateful to everyone who’s donated to our fundraising.”

To support St Rocco’s please click on www.justgiving.com/stroccos3peakschallenge

David Robertson Finance Director 0845 260 5757