A pair of Dundee charity workers are swapping sweeping vistas for less dramatic surrounds in a lockdown “mountain climbing” challenge.
Kingsway East-based Kids Operating Room workers Karl Sanderson and Francesca Aras are taking part in the charity’s Sofa to Summit challenge.
The campaign, which has so far raised more than £2,500, is encouraging people to choose virtual landmarks and climb them one step at a time during lockdown.
The cash will go towards the organisation’s work sourcing medical equipment to treat children in the world’s poorest countries.
Karl, 50, will walk and run the equivalent distance of Britain’s four peaks, Snowdon, (1,085m) Scaffel Pike (978m) Ben Nevis (1,385) and Snaefell (620m).
Francesca is tackling Mount Fuji, a daunting 3,776 metres.
Warehouse technician Karl said: “I was due to be going to the Isle of Man for this year’s Manx Marathon which was sadly cancelled due to Covid-19 so I thought rather than just climbing the three peaks I would add a fourth one to the list.
“I will be completing my challenge in the Kids Operating Room warehouse in Dundee and it will mean that I need to climb the stairs in the warehouse 1,400 times but to set myself a real challenge I have decided I am going to run it.”
The global health charity, which is based in Dundee and Edinburgh, recently donated ten ventilators, monitors and equipment worth £500,000 to help provide more intensive care beds at Ninewells Hospital.
25-year-old biomedical engineer Francesca, who helped install the equipment, said: “I will be climbing the staircase at home almost 1,500 times to complete this challenge.
“I’ve really missed being fellwalking during this period of social isolation, so this is a great way to stay active.
“The need for our support has only increased with the coronavirus crisis, and the message from our partners hospitals is clear: they need our help more now than ever.”
The charity has installed 25 paediatric operating rooms in 11 countries across Africa and South America and is due to open the first such facility at a refugee camp in Kenya later this year.
The campaign will run until May 25. To sign up visit
justgiving.com/campaigns/sofatosummit
or contact Euan by email or phone to have a starter pack sent out on euan@kidsor.org / 07552640686.
