Rainbows Trainee Nursing Associate goes above and beyond

A Trainee Nursing Associate from Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People is set to go above and beyond the call of duty – and scale three of the UK’s highest mountains for the Loughborough-based charity.

Hannah Fish, from Derbyshire, is taking on Britain’s toughest peaks to raise cash for Rainbows, where she has worked on the Care Team for the last three years supporting youngsters with life-limiting conditions and their families.

And she is passionate about the charity where she works, which needs to raise more than £6million a year to support families across the East Midlands when they need it most.

“When you work with families facing such difficult situations it gives you a purpose in taking something like this on,” says Hannah, who admits she has always been a keen hiker.
“When you have a challenging job, it definitely helps to get out into nature,” she adds.

Already she and her partner Joe Croxall, have scaled Snowdon in March and Scafell Pike in April. Each peak took more than five hours to complete, she says, with Snowdon posing the toughest challenge, with snow and ice on the ground.

Now the couple are set to complete their ‘three peaks’ marathon in September (24th) when they take on the UK’s highest mountain, Scotland’s fearsome Ben Nevis, at 1,345 metres.
“The height’s not the biggest challenge,” says Hannah, “It’s the incline, the steepness. That’s why they say Ben Nevis is the hardest.”

The couple’s preparation includes regular hikes across the Peak District, close to where they live of up to 12 miles two, or three times a month. And Hannah’s secret: A packet of Jelly Babies when the going gets tough and energy levels are low. “You can’t beat that sugar rush,” she smiles.

Hannah hopes to raise more than £600 by September.

“Working here makes the challenge very personal, seeing the families who will benefit. It’s a big motivator,” she says.

To help the couple with their fundraising visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/hannahs-3-peaks-challenge.