Wigan physios rise to three peaks challenge

The six current Wrightington Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust staff, who work at Wigan Health Centre (Boston House), alongside two former colleagues – one of whom flew back from Northern Ireland - completed the tough 30-plus-mile rambling challenge in 10 hours 50 minutes.

Physio Kevan Heyes, who had already completed the walk last year, suggested it as a social activity to his colleagues, before the team then decided that while they were going to do it, they should try and raise some money for charity.

Orthopaedic physiotherapy practitioner Sam Bolton said: “The department has been affected greatly in the last few years with a combination of staff and family members battling cancer so we decided to fund-raise for Macmillan.

“The challenge was exactly that - a real physical and mental challenge. We all admitted to not really doing any real proper training so we were nervous about completing it.

“Kev had done home baked sugar filled oat bars to give us extra energy and we all encouraged each other on with no-one really moaning despite the physical pain.”

So far the team have raised £500 for their efforts.

Sam added: “We hope that we can use our example to encourage our patients to set themselves physical challenges. We want to show them that, while doing exercise and training above their normal activity can be hard work and physically uncomfortable, our bodies can become accustomed to bigger physical demands without causing damage.”

The team are already looking at their next adventure and their counterparts from the physiotherapy department at Leigh Health Centre are planning on doing the same route later on in the year.