Last month a fourteen-strong team from PAYE Stonework & Restoration summited the highest peak in Northern Africa – all to raise funds for the Lighthouse Charity.
Having completed the National 3 Peaks last year raising £15,000 for Lighthouse, the team were full of momentum. They needed something bigger and better, a challenge that could be conquered in a strict four-day window. The idea to climb Mount Toubkal – the highest peak in Northern Africa at 4,167 metres – started to take shape.
The team was made up of PAYE employees from across the business, from a young apprentice to a senior director. The trek rendered status insignificant as each member worked together to reach their goal. Team meals by candlelight served as a poignant moment of camaraderie – each of them fuelling up for the challenge that lay ahead that day.
The trek went like clockwork, but it wasn’t without its difficulties. The ascent meant that comfortable temperatures of 25°c soon dropped to a chilly -1°c, and the final push was hiked in complete darkness. The snake of torches meandering up the valley was never-ending, and it took true grit to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Of course, it all became worth it as the sun rose over the Atlas Mountains, the whole team full of pride having made it to the summit. Their bold endeavour raised £19,988 for the Lighthouse Charity – a figure they keenly monitored even whilst above the clouds.
Ben Powell, Head of SHEQ and lead organiser said, “We’re proud to be supporting a charity dedicated to our industry. We know and understand the industry and the hardships it can bring, so coming together to raise money to support people in need is a feeling like no other.”
Dedication and determination characterise the team at PAYE Stonework & Restoration. Not satisfied with their staggering sum, they pulled together a company raffle that took the amount raised over their £20,000 target.
We’d like to extend an enormous thank you to everyone at PAYE for their incredible efforts. They tell us that next year’s fundraiser is in the pipeline – and we can’t wait to find out what they’ll achieve next!
