Minster Law employee climbs Mount Snowdon and raises more than £3,500 for charity

A Wakefield-based Minster Law employee has raised thousands of pounds towards the construction of a new health clinic in Zambia. Amanda Parkinson travelled to Snowdonia National Park last weekend to tackle Mount Snowdon’s physically demanding trail to the top – and has raised more than £3,500 in fundraising.

Twenty-six-year-old Amanda is one of three Minster Law employees chosen to travel to Kapiri to visit the new medical centre in an initiative funded by the BGL Group, Minster Law’s parent company. She’ll travel to Zambia with fellow Minster Law colleagues Stuart Hanley and Jamie Lyons as well as 17 other BGL Group employees in June.

Since finding out about their successful applications, the trio have been tirelessly fundraising to amass at least £2,000 each which will go towards the construction of the clinic. So far, Amanda has hosted cocktail making masterclasses, spa nights, charity raffles and handmade Christmas and Valentine’s Day cards to sell to friends and family, however, the 6km trek to Mount Snowdon’s summit was her toughest challenge yet.

As if the loose rock paths and eroded scree chute to the top weren’t tough enough, February’s sub-zero temperatures and thick snow added to the track’s overall difficulty. However, Amanda persevered and reached the summit in just three and a half hours. Unsurprisingly, she celebrated her achievement with a well-deserved glass of wine and a hearty pub meal after the descent.

While in Snowdonia, Amanda also got to experience Europe’s highest and fastest zip line, at Velocity. Reaching speeds of an incredible 100mph, this was one challenge that was not for the faint-hearted.

Amanda said: “Forget Mount Snowdon, one of my hardest moments of the weekend was being suspended 500ft high at the top of the zip line! Seriously, there was one moment I actually thought ‘I can’t do this, get me down!’ But then I remembered why I was doing it in the first place and managed to find the courage to continue.

“I was relieved to get to the top of Mount Snowdon – in honesty I don’t think I did quite enough preparation. I’ve done several short walks in the past, but I didn’t think the hike to the summit would be quite as tough. I’m so pleased I made it, and over the moon that we’ve raised so much in fundraising. The new medical centre will change the lives of the entire Kapiri community and that is something I’m really proud to say I’m part of.”

Amanda and her colleagues are raising money for a new £160,000 medical centre, which will include an outpatient clinic, HIV testing and pharmacy as well as a maternity unit. The facility will be built by charity partner, Build It International. To support Amanda in her fundraising, please follow the link: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AmandaParkinson4