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Six college students are set to climb three of Wales’ highest mountains in the space of 24 hours.
They will climb Wales’ highest peak Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), as well as Pen y Fan and Cader Idris, in support of their course tutor, Neil Meredith, who lost his father and sister to heart-related illnesses.
The students, who study at Coleg y Cymoedd’s Nantgarw campus, are taking on the Welsh Three Peaks Challenge to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.
The students include 21-year-old Josh Thomas, from Caerphilly, and his friends Josh Evans, 21; Cameron Williams, 24; Iwan Sheridan, 22; Haydn Dummett, 20 and Joe Laver, 21.
The challenge will see them walk more than 27km (17 miles) and climb 2.3km (2,334ft) to raise awareness of the 340,000 people in Wales affected by heart and circulatory diseases in Wales.
The group have already exceeded their £700 fundraising target – raising more than £1,100 through their GoFundMe page.
Their challenge will take place on Saturday April 22.
Reacting to the students’ fundraising efforts, engineering tutor Mr Meredith said: “It’s been a privilege to be part of the boys’ education over the past few years.
“It’s been great to see them develop and enhance their engineering roles, and I’m blown away that they want to dedicate this challenge to the loss of my sister, Helen Meredith, while raising money for the British Heart Foundation.
“The whole family appreciates their support.”
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The friends are keen hikers and have been preparing for this challenge since February – maintaining their fitness with cycling, running and walking.
Carys Jenkins, British Heart Foundation fundraising manager for south east Wales, said: “We’re so grateful to the team at Coleg y Cymoedd.
“The charity’s pioneering and life-changing research into heart and circulatory issues is funded entirely by the public and supporters like them, so we couldn’t do what we do without them.
“If this inspires one more person to take on a similar challenge and fundraise for BHF Cymru, it all helps to make a difference for families in Wales.”