Inspired By Life

Three Dorset locals braved severe weather conditions and completed the Great Lakeland Challenge on Friday, 10 September to raise funds for The Wooden Spoon Society. The challenge, which took place in the Lake District, involved canoeing across Lake Windemere, cycling the Wynrose Pass and climbing Mount Scarfell Pike all in under twelve hours.  Money raised will go towards supporting disadvantaged children throughout the UK.

The team, called ‘Inspired by Life,’ consisted of Jonathan Gollings, a 28-year-old dentist from Wimborne, Shane Coughlan, a 29-year-old marketing executive from Parkstone and Tom Hitchcock, a 28-year-old marketing executive from Poole quay.  They set off to cover the ten-and-a-half miles in their canoe at 7.30am on Friday and came in third in one hour and fifty-eight minutes, which is just two minutes short of the course record.  The twenty-seven mile cycle along the mountain pass was interrupted by a crash en route, but Shane recovered to finish with the team in three hours ready to tackle Mount Scafell Pike at 3209ft.  With heavy mist and rain ‘Inspired by Life’ reached the finish line in five-and-a-half hours.

Unfortunately one member had to pull out of the summit climb, Jonathan Gollings from Whitehall House Dental Practice, says:  “I had a fever the day before and after pushing my body through the first two events the on site doctor would not let me continue.  I was gutted not to cross the finish line as we had been training hard but I was proud of the other boys completing the mountain climb as seven teams didn’t make it.  I am still inspired to take on a challenge, so here’s to next year!”

The team raised £3500 for the charity and their goal is £4000, so if you are inspired by their story please donate at www.justgiving.com/Inspired-ByLife.