Lord Bilston Big Challenge smashes £25,000 target
The team behind the Lord Bilston Big Challenge successfully took on their most gruelling challenge over the weekend and smashed their fundraising target of £25,000 for Compton Care.
It was the fourth event organised by Brendon Turner, who set up the challenge series in a bid to raise funds for the Wolverhampton-based hospice which cared for his father, Lord Bilston, Dennis Turner, following his cancer diagnosis.
The former Labour MP for Wolverhampton South East died aged 71 in February 2014.
As part of their Lakes and Peaks fundraiser, Brendon led a team of 18 friends over three mountains and cycled a total of 220 miles in just 48 hours.
The challenge, which started at 4am on Saturday, saw the team pushing themselves to the limit and even climbing mountains in pitch darkness as they hiked and cycled their way across the Lake District and the Yorkshire Peaks before their return to Wolverhampton.
Brendon, 43, said: “This has been the toughest challenge yet, by a mile. Physically and emotionally it really drained us, and as we started Day Two, the team were really feeling it but as we got closer to home, we just came alive again.
"We kept going, and it felt amazing to cross that finish line and I am so proud of every single one of the lads, the support crew and everyone that made the Lord Bilston Big Challenge happen.
‘I wanted to organise an event that represented a real challenge, like the one that Compton staff and patients face on a daily basis.
"When the inevitable happened, we couldn't have wished for a more caring, conscientious and experienced team of professionals than Compton to look after my dad in his time of need.
"I will forever be indebted to the staff at Compton who helped my Dad spend his last weeks with the least amount of suffering and anxiety.
‘It was quite ironic that my Dad had always spoken of looking after the people, the working classes, and these people, his people, would be the ones to see him through his final fight.
"No wage or salary would have been enough to repay the love and affection the nurses from Compton and also his beloved NHS displayed in his last days.”
Kate Kelly, community and events manager at Compton Care, said: "We are so proud to have such an incredible bunch of supporters who quite literally climb mountains for us and the lads are an inspiration to us all and we will be forever grateful for their efforts.”
"A sum of £25,000 will fund a patient’s stay on the Inpatient Unit at Compton Hall for an entire month."
