Local gas supplier teams up with Rochdale and District Mind to hike the Yorkshire Three Peaks

North west-based natural gas and biogas supplier Crown Gas & Power joined up with Rochdale and District Mind to hike the Yorkshire Three Peaks on Saturday 2 April to raise awareness and much-needed funds for Rochdale’s local mental health service provider.

Based in Bury, Crown Gas & Power is a natural gas and biogas supplier to businesses across the UK.

Dedicated to supporting the local community throughout Greater Manchester, the Crown Oil Group sponsors Rochdale Football Club and both the Crown Oil Group and Crown Gas & Power are connected.

Last July, the Crown Gas & Power team voted both Rochdale and District Mind and Bury Hospice as their chosen charities for their current financial year.

A team of 27 keen hikers met for a 6am start to hike the gruelling 24-mile stint in under 12 hours.

The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge takes on the peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough, usually in that order and includes 5,200ft of ascent.

Terry Day, director of Crown Gas & Power, commented: “It was great to see so many Crown Gas & Power employees step up to the challenge, something that took a lot from us all to complete, both mentally and physically. To see them push forward and support each other was inspiring and I’m proud of the whole team.

“We are continuously finding ways to support our local community, and to have the Rochdale and District Mind team join us for the day and show their support made it even more worth it.”

Representing Rochdale and District Mind were CEO Rebecca Steele and Finance & Business Development Manager Julie Smith.

Rebecca Steele commented: “Donations are vital to the work of our charity, and there are a number of ways in which people support our work in this way. The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge is one such way to do this, and it was such an amazing day.

“Watching the sunrise at the top of the first peak, knowing how much money was raised for Rochdale and District Mind made this a perfect way to spend a Saturday morning. The whole group motivated each other along the tricky parts of the hike and having time to chat along the way and meet new people was something Julie and I thoroughly enjoyed.

“Events like this mean we can provide more support to our community and enables us to provide the small touches in our service that can have the biggest impact. Everyone has something they are good at, or something they have fancied doing for years, and we’re always here to support them.”

Rochdale and District Mind exist to ensure that people do not face mental health issues alone and can lead their lives free from stigma and discrimination. They are independent in their funding and are not the same as National Mind, but are affiliated and work with them nationally.

They provide support that is needed locally in the Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale area. Donations go towards a multitude of activities including support groups and mental health awareness courses.

Crown Gas & Power has currently raised a total of £5,197, £2,897 of which will go directly towards supporting Rochdale and District Mind’s initiatives.