A young Wigan rugby player is to scale the Lakes' three highest peaks in memory of his much-missed grandad
A late Wigan man’s love of nature is inspiring his grandson to take on a tough mountain challenge in aid of a wildlife charity
A much-missed grandfather is inspiring a young Wigan rugby player to take on a punishing Lakeland challenge.
Next month Jake Bridge plans to scale Cumbria’s three highest peaks - Scafell, Helvellyn and Skiddaw - in the space of 24 hours and in memory of his “grandpops” Tom Bridge.
Tom, who hailed from Kitt Green, was well known first as a projectionist at the former Ritz Cinema on Station Road and later as a police officer.
He passed away two years ago at the age of 69 following a battle with cancer.
And now 20-year-old Jake is plotting his big fund-raiser which will be in aid of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) which runs Tom’s favourite haunt, the Martin Mere Nature Reserve at Burscough.
Jake, who plays for Shevington Sharks ARLFC, is already pretty fit but has been putting in 10-mile hikes when he’s not playing or working as a trainee transport manager at a haulage firm in Tarleton.
He said: “It’s coming up to the second anniversary of my grandpops’s death. Last year I was not in a good place and in no fit state to do anything.
“But my life has enjoyed a big and positive turnaround since and now I am ready to do something to commemorate him.
“His favourite place was Martin Mere and I remember going there with him as a kid.
“He had to take early retirement in the early 2000s due to suffering a stroke and that was when he really got involved in bird-watching. It got him closer to nature.
“Recently I visited Martin Mere on my own and thought about all the wonderful work the WWT is doing.
“I gave a donation but then thought ‘I’ve got to do something bigger than that.’ So here I am getting ready for doing the Lakes’ Three Peaks.”
A JustGiving page has been established with a target of £1,000 set by Jake.
He added: “This will be a physically demanding challenge, covering thousands of metres of ascent and many hours on the mountains.
“Every donation, no matter how small, will help support the incredible work of WWT while honouring the memory of a man who loved of the outdoors.”