It was just a month or so ago that harness racing trainer/driver Watson Harrop, Jr. from County Durham in the North of England, started #foodbanknomination and raised tens of thousands of dollars in food supply donations.
He did it by challenging his harness racing friends from around the world on Facebook to go out, fill a shopping cart with food, and take it to their local Food Bank.
People from around the world took part in #foodbanknomination and needy families around the world had a special holiday season because of Watson’s efforts.
Well, the man from Durham is back at it again!
“I guess I am a little crazy,” Harrop said. “When I see those people less fortunate than we are, I just want to do something to help them. This is the craziest idea I have come up with yet.
“I have organized a team of friends to climb Great Britain’s highest and most dangerous mountain, Ben Nevis in Scotland,” Harrop explained. “And we are raising money with this event to aid two special children that need to travel to Panama and then the USA for life saving treatment that’s not available in the UK.”
The fund-raising climb set for the end of February depending on the weather, will raise funds for four-year-old Isla Caton from Hornchurch Essex and ten-year-old Sean Gallagher of Newcastle Upon Tyne. Isla has Neuroblastoma while Sean has Cerebral Palsy. Both children are special needs and must go to Panama and then the USA for their treatments.
“I have a team of non-climbers and none are hikers,” Harrop added. “Not one of us have ever climbed anything higher than the steps to a night club but we have high hopes to raise a quarter of a million pounds.”
Harrop said that he now has 55 people making the climb along with seven guides to help assist. And some of the crew are big celebrities in Great Britain.
One of the UK’s top reality show TV stars, actor Alfie Best is taking part in the climb. Also participating is undefeated WBO Middleweight world champion boxer Billy Joe Saunders and soccer star, Tony McMoahan of Scunthorpe United, on loan from Oxford United. But Tony was recently injured in a game and cannot do the climb, but is still supporting it.
There is a special Go Fund Me page by clicking here where everyone can make a donation and help the climbers reach their goal of raising £250,000.
Just this Monday morning, Watson and three of his friends that are doing the climb, were practicing in the Yorkshire Dales in North East England.
“We were huffing and puffing a bit,” Harrop said. “Yorkshire Dales is five times smaller than Ben Nevis in Scotland. We will keep training hard and get the job done."
By Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink