Forces Charities

Cumbrian Challenge: £300,000 raised for veterans through powerful acts of solidarity with the Armed Forces community

The Cumbrian Challenge took 600 people around the hills of Grasmere to support veterans

Sunbelt Rentals' Veterans Operations Manager Brett Kobell carried 22lb of weight around the course in support of veterans

Teams of four took part in the Cumbian Challenge which took them across the hills of Grasmere

The Cumbrian Challenge raised over £300,000 for veterans

Hundreds of people took part in the Cumbrian Challenge

The opening stretch of the Cumbrian Challenge was a steep hill in Grasmere

Incredible weather complimented the Cumbrian Challenge (Picture: WWTW)

The teams received medals and some were presented with trophies in the Cumbrian Challenge

Nearly half of the people involved in the Cumbrian Challenge had a connection with the military (Picture: WWTW)

The Cumbrian Challenge had either Peak, Tough or Tougher routes to pick from

Team BFBS completed the Tough route in five hours and ten minutes

The Cumbrian Challenge had a choice between Peak, Tough or Tougher routes to pick from

The start of the Cumbrian Challenge was marked with a flame

Hundreds of people taking part in the Cumbrian Challenge helped raise £300,000 for veterans (Picture: WWTW)

Nearly half of the people involved in the Cumbrian Challenge had a connection with the military

Families and friends took part in the Challenge which helped raise thousands for veterans (Picture: WWTW)

Hundreds of individuals conquered the hills of the Lake District during the Cumbrian Challenge 2024, which also included incredible acts of solidarity with the Armed Forces community at home and abroad.

More than 600 people took to the hills of Grasmere on 18 May to help raise over £300,000 for veterans through Walking With The Wounded’s 11th walking fundraising event.

"The Cumbrian Challenge is one of, if not the biggest fundraising event that goes to support our veteran population," said Jimmy Scott, Social Impact and Veteran Program manager for Sunbelt Rentals.

In a powerful act of solidarity during the challenge, Jimmy Scott and his colleague Brett Kobell both volunteered to carry 22lb of weight around the hills.

Mr Scott said: "Myself and my colleague Brett, whose come over from Sunbelt North America, carried a plate carrier worth 10kg, or 22lb which is to signify the 22 service personnel who take their lives on a daily basis over in America. It's a show of unity with our colleagues over the pond.

"The thing with this event is it's not about breaking any records, it's not about coming first, it's about getting out on the hills, putting in the graft, sweating, having fun, having meaningful conversations with colleagues and other people taking part.

"I've got friends that are currently serving and have served in the past in the US military but also with colleagues within Sunbelt who we've worked with on the global veterans program."

When asked what he would say to others who wished to take part in the challenge, Mr Scott said: "If you're thinking about it, jump at it and grab it with both hands.

"The money that's raised really does get put to good use to support veterans and service leavers. And it's a great weekend as well."

Jimmy Scott and his colleague volunteered to carry 22lb of weight during the Cumbrian Challenge to honour the memories of veterans who had died from suicide in the US

During the Challenge, participants fought against the heat and pushed on throughout the day.

A significant amount of the people who took part were either former military personnel or are currently serving themselves.

Ian Evans, a former member of the Royal Air Force from 1995 to 2002, said: "You're enjoying it when you're 10km in, and 800m up.

"It's a fantastic day, it is a proper challenge and rightfully so.

"The importance of it is incredibly important. Forces personnel have suffered PTSD and all sorts of forms of anxiety for years and years so it's good over the last 25 years we've started to recognise it.

"We have great organisers like Walking With The Wounded who are there to support them."

More than 600 people took part in the Cumbrian Challenge 2024 which raised over £300,000 for veterans

A serving member of the RAF who took part this year said: "We basically wanted to help out a charity, we follow Walking With The Wounded quite a bit.

"We wanted to take part and do the tougher challenge so we’re pushing ourselves to our limits basically.

"We're going to try and do it as fast as we can but of course with no injuries.

"We wanted to help out those who need the help and do what we can to support people."

Another said: "We found it online, put a team together and thought why not?"

This year marked the 11th anniversary of the Cumbrian Challenge

Chief Operating Officer for WWTW, Joel Oxberry said: "It's gone really well today. The Cumbrian Challenge never ceases to put a smile on people's faces.

"We have about 600 people here this year, our second largest and it's going really well.

"We do have a lot of ex-military doing this event, this is one of the most forces friendly events in the calendar.

"I've got no doubt whatsoever that out of the 600 people here, there is a good number that served."

A significant amount of the Cumbrian Challenge participants were either former military personnel or are currently serving in the Armed Forces

Tony Hulton, the Chief Executive of WWTW, said: "It's been absolutely fantastic. I think it's about 155 or 160 teams out on the hills.

"We look as though we've just achieved over £300,000 in our fundraising so it's been a great day and the weather has been with us every step of the way.

"I asked for a show of hands, and I think about 50% were veterans or some sort of association with the Armed Forces.

"From all the participants on the hills they've raised about £187,000, and we've got our corporate sponsors and other registration fees, and we think we've brought in £300,000.

"The key for that it helps deliver our core missions, that’s three pillars. The first is mental health support for veterans, the second is care coordination which is social work essentially and the third is to get veterans into good and sustainable employment."