Ben Nevis charity climber from Thornhill prepares to scale Britain’s biggest mountain carrying an extra 43kg

Damien Rose is challenging himself to scale Ben Nevis with an extra 43kg in tow as he looks to raise money for The Kirkwood.

The Huddersfield-based hospice cared for both Damien’s parents - Louise and Ronnie - before their sad passings in 2010 and 2021 respectively.

And the 37-year-old, originally from Mirfield, despite acknowledging the daunting challenge ahead, has already raised over £2,000 before he makes it onto the famous Scottish peak.

“For me it was about giving something back to Kirkwood Hospice for their help,” he told the Reporter Series. “They made my mum and dad’s as peaceful as can be.

“So I thought, ‘what can I do to raise money?’ I go to Extreme Conditioning very often in Huddersfield and I like hiking. Hiking can be hard but what can be really hard mentally and physically?

“That’s when I came up with carrying half my bodyweight up Ben Nevis. I chose Ben Nevis because that’s where I spreaded some of my dad’s ashes because he was born in Scotland.

“I have not done this sort of thing before. Preparation has been tough. But I owe a lot to Extreme Conditioning and Greg Brown and Lizzie Foster.

“They have got me fully fit for this and I can’t thank them enough.”

Damien will be supported on the mountain by his wife, Rachel, hiking partner, Andrew Milner, and television star Jodie Ounsley, who is Fury on BBC’s Gladiator, along with her parents Phil and Jo.

He said: “I have got a lot of support coming. Phil has a broken bicep and Jo has a bad back but they still want to come to support.

“They are all there to force me to stop, have a break, make sure I eat something and make sure I don’t kill myself trying to get up there and make sure I get back in one piece.

“But I have told people that if I trip up then I have to get myself back up.”

To read more about Damien’s fundraising efforts and to contribute, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/damien-rose-1724051641181?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fdamien-rose-1724051641181&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share