For VNAM 2019 a group of RVN's and SVN's completed the Yorkshire 3 Peaks challenge to raise money for Vetlife and BVNA’s Daphne Shipman Benevolent fund, and they have raised just under £1000, with the donations still coming in. BVNA Honorary Secretary Jo Oakden was part of the team and reports on their adventure.

As veterinary professionals we put all our efforts in to improving animal welfare, so for Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month 2019, we wanted to raise money to help support the welfare needs of our colleagues and peers should they ever be in need.

We had an early 5:30am start, with our walking starting at 6:30am. The weather was horrendous, the rain was pouring, but our enthusiasm and spirits were high. We weren’t going to allow a bit of rain to stop us!

Four hours in, with the first peak completed it was still torrential rain, we had wet feet, the rain had soaked through our waterproofs and we were feeling pretty miserable. However, we battled through, testing our physical and mental endurance to the max as it rained for a further 2 hours with 45 – 60mph winds. We all supported each other, encouraging when others were doubting, demonstrating the resilience of nurses and support our peers offer.

We completed the challenge on the 26th May, in eight hours and 32 minutes. We were unable to reach the peaks of Pen-Y-Gent and Whernside due to the 60mph winds (when you hear a tough, hardened mountain walker shouting expletives though the walkie-talkie to our guide, whilst he’s clinging on to the edge of the mountain, you realise why it’s too dangerous!). But we still completed 20miles in extremely challenging conditions, we were elated when we completed the walk; heading straight for the pub for a celebratory pint and a warm fire (and a toilet that wasn’t in a field observed by sheep.)

I am so proud of the girls for keeping going. None of us are regular walkers and we completed the walk well under the given 12 hours. So here is a huge well done to: Charlotte Cook RVN, Chloe Chadwick RVN, Hayley Stephenson RVN, Lucy Spencer RVN, Amelia Bovill SVN and Lori Stokes (not an RVN but a supporter!)

Bring on the Welsh Three Peaks next year!

VOL 34 • August 2019 • Veterinary Nursing Journal