Ain’t no mountain high enough for RCM staff raising money for benevolent fund
By Colin Beesley on 22 June 2021 Midwives MSWs - Maternity Support Workers Benevolent fund RCM RCM Member Cavell Nurses' Trust
A hardy group of nine Royal College of Midwives (RCM) staff and members have literally got a mountain to climb. They’ll shortly be heading up all 3,560 ft of Mount Snowdon, Wales’s highest mountain. They are taking on this arduous task to raise money for the RCM’s Benevolent Fund, which supports RCM members in financial difficulty.
The hike follows other fundraising efforts by the RCM. Past activities have seen staff cycling from London to Paris and taking on distance running challenges, raising thousands of pounds in the process.
With just weeks to go before the team hit the hill on 3 July, they are working furiously to get sponsorship from family, friends and, well, anyone they can. The group have set a target of raising at least £250 each for the fund but are aiming higher.
“This is such as good cause to be raising money for because it directly supports our midwife and maternity support worker (MSW) members who come to us and really need help to get through a difficult time,” said Suzanne Tyler, the RCM’s Executive Director for Services to Members, and one of the dauntless nonet doing the challenge. “I not only hope this raises money for the fund but also that it raises awareness about the fund and encourages people to apply to it if they are struggling, and encourages people to donate to it, to support their colleagues in times of distress.”
The nine taking on the mountain are Barbara Narey, Richard Blakeley, Nick Child, Suzanne Tyler, Carmel Lloyd, Robert Murtagh, Lynne Galvin, Rae Trotter and Denise Linay. The group are hoping to do the hike up and down in around 6-7 hours.
Members of the team are taking different ways to prepare for the tough trip to the top and back, with lots of running and walking being done to get mountain fit. It is rumoured that some brave souls will simply be going for it on the day.
“The hike will of course be socially distanced. We’ll be outdoors all the time anyway and all the precautions around COVID-19 will be taken by the group,” said Rae Trotter, an RCM Senior Organiser and one of the team. “It will certainly be socially distanced especially by me as I will probably be at the back,” said Rae, who admitted that she is still to try on her walking boots. Blister plasters are in the post…
You can sponsor members of Team RCM and their Snowdon challenge by visiting https://www.10kfornursesandmidwives.org/t/teamrcm.