Twenty-five members of the Venesky Brown team swapped their desks for hiking boots on Friday 11 September as they took on Edinburgh’s legendary Seven Hills Challenge, raising an incredible £7,175 for Lighthouse Charity.
Representing almost half of the company, the determined team tackled a demanding 25km route across the Scottish capital, climbing all seven of Edinburgh’s iconic hills in a single day. Over the course of eight hours, they conquered the equivalent of more than 140 floors of elevation, (For reference, the Empire State building is only 108 floors!)
The challenging route showcased the very best of Edinburgh, from the bustling streets of the Royal Mile to the peaceful woodland trails of the Braid Hermitage. Along the way, the team even caught sight of the zoo’s camels and heard distant lion roars while making their way up Corstorphine Hill.
The challenge began with Arthur’s Seat, widely considered the toughest of the seven climbs. While some team members raced effortlessly to the summit, others took a steadier approach with a few well-earned breaks along the way. Regardless of pace, everyone regrouped at the top of each hill to celebrate their progress, capture team photos and encourage one another on to the next hill.
As the miles mounted and tired legs began to take their toll, the team’s determination never wavered. Even when one group found themselves accidentally heading towards the final hill instead of the penultimate hill, they refused to cut corners. Quickly correcting course, they returned to complete the full challenge exactly as planned before triumphantly hobbling into the Stable Bar for a well-deserved celebration.
The fundraising effort behind the challenge was just as impressive as the walk itself. Over several weeks, the team shared Lighthouse Charity’s mission with family, friends, suppliers and clients, inspiring support from 212 individual donors. Contributions arrived from across Scotland, throughout the UK and even from supporters in Canada and Australia. Leading the fundraising charge was Jonny, who raised an outstanding £1,150 on his own.
Reflecting on the challenge and the company’s support for Lighthouse Charity, Jennifer Reilly, Social Value Manager at Venesky Brown, said: ‘As employers of construction workers and suppliers to the construction industry across the UK, Venesky Brown intimately understands the toll poor wellbeing can take on workers and their families. That’s why we’ve made Lighthouse our key charity partner for the last two years – we believe in and see first-hand the positive impact Lighthouse’s support services, awareness campaigns, and Make It Visible visits have. To raise funds for Lighthouse this year we chose to tackle the infamous Seven Hills challenge. Our team were exceptional, both in their physical and fundraising efforts and we are all incredibly proud of conquering the walk and raising so much money for a wonderful cause!”
Everyone at Lighthouse Charity is incredibly grateful to the entire Venesky Brown team for their energy, commitment and determination. Raising more than double their original fundraising target while conquering one of Edinburgh’s toughest challenges is a remarkable achievement, and every step taken will help make a lasting difference. Thank you!
