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Climbing Snowdon by stairs to raise funds for the Children’s Air Ambulance

Climbing mountains isn’t allowed during lockdown – despite the easing of Government rules on outdoor exercise – but that hasn’t stopped Paul Farrow conquering “Snowdon by Stairs” to raise funds for the Children’s Air Ambulance.

He completed the 3,560 feet ascent by going up the stairs at his Durham home 445 times – the fifth of 10 sponsored challenges he has set himself during 2020.

The “climb” took Paul four hours and he describes it as “the most taxing challenge yet, both physically and mentally”.

Paul’s son Brandon was transferred by the Children’s Air Ambulance from a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in London to a Special Care Baby Unit in Durham after being born 12 weeks before his due date when Paul and his wife Sarah were on a weekend break in the capital city in June 2019.

“The Children’s Air Ambulance was there for us in a time of need and now I want to help them help others by raising £2,000 – just over half the cost of the mission that took Brandon home from London to Durham via helicopter,” he says.

Paul (37) – who works in the fitness industry – is halfway through his year-long challenge and is determined to complete it despite unexpected restrictions to his plans caused by the Covid-19 crisis.

Before lockdown, he completed a 5k park run and a Superbowl fitness challenge. During March and April he has cycled 436 kilometres – the distance between London and Durham – and he has exercised every day.

In June he is planning to do a sponsored tyre flip and he is hoping to take part in the Durham City 10k run and Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge if lockdown restrictions are eased even more in the coming months.

“The Children’s Air Ambulance receives no government funding and relies totally on donations to remain operational. The charity keeps hope alive for lots of families like ours and as a way of thanking them for what they did for our little baby boy, I decided to raise awareness of and funds for their lifesaving work by doing this challenge,” says Paul.

Sharon Evans, Community Fundraiser adds “We are incredibly grateful to Paul for continuing to find new ways to do his challenges since the country has been in lockdown to support the Children’s Air Ambulance.  Every penny raised really does make a big difference to the little lives that we fly.”

Paul is keeping a record of his progress on his Instagram account @paulfarrowmfj.

Anybody wishing to sponsor him can do so on his JustGiving page – click here