Staff from award-winning housebuilder Beal Homes have completed a gruelling endurance challenge to support a construction community charity.
A 17-strong Beal team completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge by climbing Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough in under 12 hours, raising more than £3,000 for the Lighthouse Club.
The charity provides financial and emotional support to the construction community and their families, particularly those who have suffered an injury or long-term illness, or simply those who need a helping hand.
Two construction workers take their own life in the UK every working day and the Lighthouse Club is the only charity providing this type of support through its 24/7 Construction Industry Helpline.
Aiming to do their very best for the Lighthouse Club, the Beal team trained hard for the 24-mile challenge in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, which involved an ascent of a total of 1,585 metres in wet and windy conditions with limited visibility.
Kaye Garwood, Beal Sales Progression Manager, was among those who took part and said the team had great support.
She said: “We were keen to raise money for the Lighthouse Club because it supports our industry and that’s why we have done so well with the sponsorship.
“We had support from building merchants and contractors we are associated with, and other housebuilding companies, as well as family and friends, which was fantastic.
“We were in the clouds at the top of the peaks and it was very wet and muddy along the route, so it was tough and there were a few slips, but we all made it.
“It’s a great achievement and everyone is particularly pleased because we did it as a team.”
As a long-established business rooted in the local community, East Yorkshire-based Beal is no stranger to fundraising and supporting worthy causes to make a difference.
Beal kick-started an appeal by the Withernsea branch of the RNLI with a £26,000 donation, half of the £52,000 needed to fund a new D Class lifeboat, which recently came into service. The life-saving vessel has been named in memory of RNLI supporter the late Mary Beal, a Beal director and wife of founder John Beal and mother of Chief Executive Richard Beal.
The business supports a wide range of other good causes, including the CatZero youth development charity, which works across the Humber with disadvantaged and disaffected young people, and Hull and East Riding Children’s University, which builds self-esteem and raises aspirations among school children.
Beal is also the long-standing main sponsor of Hull Rugby Union Football Club, with several Beal executives donating their time to support the day-to-day running and development of the club.
Kaye said the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge was one the Beal team would never forget.
She added: “We wanted a challenge that we felt would be open to as many people as possible.
“With a challenge like this, people struggle at different points mentally and you need encouragement and a boost when you hit those down points, so we all supported each other.
“Although we all had aches and pains the next day, we’ve got great memories and we’re so pleased to have raised this amount of money for such a great charity.”
