A BRAND new charity challenge is being launched on Monday.

The organisers of the well-established and super-successful 10in10 Challenge, which has raised £341,000 since the first event seven years ago, are launching a Family 5in5.

Walkers will head to the hills in September to take on five family-sized mountains in five hours to raise money for research into Multiple Sclerosis. 

Keswick mum-of-three Yvonne Booth designed and created the original 10in10 Challenge walk in 2011. It was her response to her husband Duncan’s diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis in 2010 at the age of 39. 

She explained how that one event has led to this: “Over the years, we’ve listened to people saying they’d like a new challenge which the whole family can take on and we think we’ve found the perfect route! I am so excited to launch the Family 5in5, it’s a celebration of family fellwalking. I hope people will enjoy training for the first event this year and then join us on Saturday 29 September 2018 for what I promise will be one of the most fun days you can have on the mountains.

“As a family, we know that getting children out on the fells and keeping them going can be a challenge, so we’re providing cake on every peak as well as a feed station en route.

“Our friendly team of marshals will be dotted along the route to offer words of support and encouragement and the celebrity doggy duo Max and Paddy will be making an appearance too. Hopefully their flappy spaniel ears will not be lifted on the day!

“This new Family 5in5 is a circular route from the Swinside Inn, in the Newlands Valley, which heads up over Causey Pike, then Scar Crags, Outerside, Style End and Barrow, before heading back to the pub for a warm welcome and a hog roast.

“Once again, Keswick outdoor retailer George Fisher, is supporting our event by providing medals for everyone who completes the challenge.”

The new Family 5in5 event has been welcomed by the MS Society, Area Fundraiser Simon Moran, said: “It’s great to hear Yvonne and Duncan are adding a new event to their 10in10 challenges. The Family 5in5 will be a great way for little adventures to explore some of the Lake District’s most iconic peaks in and around Keswick. There are more than 100,000 people living with MS in the UK. What better way to support them and their loved ones, than to come together as a whole family to help stop MS.” 

Victoria Kimber, Marketing Manager for George Fisher said: “George Fisher are very excited to be involved with the new Family 5in5.  We are great believers in getting children into the outdoors and the whole family out enjoying the fells together.  We welcome a lot of families to our store in Keswick and we’ll be encouraging them to take part in this great event.  A brilliant addition the already popular 10in10 and 5in5.”

The Family 5in5 is about eight miles long and takes in five peaks - Causey Pike (637m), Scar Crags (672m), Outerside (568m), Stile End (447m) and Barrow (455m). It is an achievable challenge for an active family. The adults need to be able to navigate their way along the route and carry a map and compass. 

Yvonne continued: “This ‘Annual 10in10’ is on Saturday 23 June 2018 but we also offer the ‘Everyday 10in10’ - where people can take on the challenge any day of the year. If you are an ultra fell runner, we have a challenging route taking in all the peaks on our three 10in10 routes which is the ‘No Cure Always Hope Ultra’ fell running challenge - which sees runners cover 39 miles over 25 peaks with 17,000 feet of ascent.

“We run all the events to raise money to pay for research into this cruel illness and it goes directly to scientists working in Edinburgh and Cambridge. We don’t know if we’ll see a cure in our lifetime, but we hope our fund-raising efforts go a long way towards it.”

To enter any of this year’s events, or to find out more about them, visit: http://www.10in10.org.uk. 

To read more about Duncan Booth and his thoughts about living with multiple sclerosis, visit: http://dunc10in10.blogspot.co.uk.