FOR the second year in a row, the McKay family from Dromara have supported Irene Hunter’s fundraising drive for Cancer Fund for Children by climbing one of the highest peaks in the UK.
Twelve-year-old Ben McKay climbed Snowdon in Wales on Friday 12 July with his father Paul, which raised over £2,000.
The money raised will go towards the annual Finnis fundraiser for Cancer Fund for Children.
Paul McKay said of the climb: “It was challenging, yes, but it was great to do it and we really enjoyed it.
“Ben is naturally fit. He plays football two or three nights a week so it took more out of me than him. He could have done it the next day.”
It took Ben two hours to climb the mountain, and his father two hours and 45 minutes.
“Loads of people do it. It is safe enough,” Paul said.
“It rained for the first half an hour but then the sun came out and it was a great day.”
Preparations for the walk involved climbing Slieve Donard, but as this was their second year of climbing for the charity Paul and Ben knew what to expect.
Paul said: “He (Ben) said last year that he wanted to climb the three highest mountains in the UK. We did Ben Nevis last year, and we did Snowdon this year, then next year we will do Scafell Pike in the Lake District.
“It was not my idea; it was his idea. I am just following along and helping him.”
Paul explained that the goal to climb the three peaks came about because the family wanted to support Irene Hunter, who has been running charity events for Cancer Fund for Children.
Irene and her husband organise a barbecue at Kings Bar every year, with the help of the Eurospar in Dromara.
They stage the barbecue to raise money for the Cancer Fund for Children charity.
Irene is friends with the McKay family.
“In my opinion she (Irene) deserves a Pride of Britain award. She is an amazing person,” Paul said.
“Her and her husband Brian are the chief organisers. They are fantastic.
“Irene has been doing this for a few years.
“Her brother was the famous mountaineer Noel, who died coming off Everest a few years ago. He inspired my Ben.
“When Noel died, Ben said ‘I want to do something for Noel’. He came up with this. Because Noel was a mountaineer, Ben said he wanted to climb the three highest peaks in honour of Noel.
“When we got to the top of Ben Nevis, we had the Cancer Fund for Children jerseys on us and we had a photo of Noel with us at the top.”
So, after that climb last year, they had to continue the challenge.
Irene was keen for them to get more involved.
“Irene from the Eurospar in Dromara asked us to join up with her to help with the fundraising. She asked us and we support her,” he added.
Fundraising has gone well this year, and they are almost finished collecting money, though there is still time for the public to make some final donations.
“We are up to £7,300. That is from fundraising at the Eurospar, that’s the barbecue, and that’s from the auction at Kings Bar,” Paul said.
“At the barbecue we had an auction, with prizes donated from companies, and we raised nearly £3,000 on the night from the auction.
“The barbecue itself raised another £1,000, then we had a sponsored car wash in Dromara, which raised £800.”
And Paul said that the community has been very supportive of the events.
“Everyone has been very generous, family and friends especially, and all the different businesses who gave us prizes for the auction.”
Two rugby jerseys, one signed by the Ulster team and an Ireland jersey signed by former Ireland rugby captain Rory Best, raised hundreds of pounds at the auction.
So next year, when Ben is 13, they will complete the challenge by climbing up Scafell Pike.
Whether they do another climb for charity will be down to whether Ben fancies it or not.
“We are doing the Scafell next year and then I will leave it up to Ben. I am just going along with him.
“I am happy to do it. It is going to a good cause.”
If you would like to support the fundraising, you can call in to the Eurospar in Dromara or contact Paul on 07714237657.
