A charity based on Park Road in Congleton is celebrating an early Christmas gift, as local children have raised thousands for them through a fundraising walk.

A 'sensational six' charity climbers completed the gruelling National Three Peaks Challenge to raise a stunning £20,273.60p for the Cheshire children's charity Visyon.

The teenagers, from The King's School in Macclesfield are of the same age of many of the people seeking emotional help that Visyon has supported in Congleton and the wider area since 1994.

The adventure was the brainchild of the King's School 'Dream Beams' charity team, conceived by King's pupils Jemima and Annabelle Jordan, five years ago and chaired, simply because the girls are too young, by their mum Katie. Their team of Ava Bygraves, Annabelle Bygraves, Cicely Homer, Sam Paddon, the two Jordan sisters and their mum together with two more dads all completed the 10,000 feet ascent in the summer, reuniting this week to present their cheque to the Visyon charity team in Congleton.

Visyon is located on Fellowship House, Park Rd, Congleton CW12 1DP.

A few tears might have been shed on that way but the terrific team proved beyond any doubt that when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Annabelle Jordan, who was 14 when she completed the challenge, said: "We all supported each other, carried our friend's kit when they were finding it tough and kept each other going, even through the dark times, literally the dark times, climbing in the middle of the night up Scafell Pike."

Ava Bygraves, who was just 13 when they made the ascent in the summer, was, her friends confessed, alongside hard man Sam Paddon, the only one not to shed a tear during the 24 hour marathon. Her stoicism in tact even when her beloved pet Sidney, an Italiangreyhound went missing on the top of Ben Nevis.

"That was the only really scary moment, but one of our guides (her dad) went down the mountain to find him, climbing back up to re-join the group," remembered a beaming Ava.

The historic Macclesfield School is located on Alderley Road near Prestbury, with many Congleton students travelling there.

The hike began at Ben Nevis in Scotland's Grampians, at 4,413ft, the highest mountain in Britain. They then drove down to the Lake District to dash up Scafell Pike at 3,209ft the highest mountain in England, climbing and descending the mountain in total darkness, reaching the peak at 1.30 am guided only by head torches.

The last leg was the drive to North Wales and the relative ease of striding up the Pyg Track to the summit of Snowdon at 3,560ft.

Jemima Jordan said: "It might be easiest of the routes but by that time we were tired and sore and up against the clock to beat the 24 hour bench mark."

The team need not have worried completing the 27 mile event, with some 400 miles driving in between, in a superb 23 hours 30 minutes.

They offer one-to-one support aiming to improve emotional wellbeing for youngsters across Cheshire and Staffordshire.

Cicely Homer said: "I think we are all quite proud that we came in under 24 hours; not many teams achieve that, especially any as young as our group."

Visyon was set up by three local families who lost their children to suicide. They employ 40.

The Visyon team offers counseling and support to young people suffering from anxiety, depression and low self-esteem rebuilding confidence, belief and resilience.

Jemima Jordan, whose charity Dream Beams helps a range of children's charities, added: "As children ourselves we really want to help others who might not be as fortunate and when we heard the representatives from Visyon talk about their work we knew we had to do something really big."

Linda has been Visyon's Fundraising and Marketing Manager since February 2022.

Linda De Sa, Visyon's Fundraising Manager, who coordinates the charity's efforts to raise £1 million p.a., to fund their work in schools and at their bases in Congleton and Crewe with referrals mainly coming directly from young people and their parents, said: "It's an amazing effort from a team of children who are so young. We depend on these donations and this is a huge amount of money from a wonderful group." 

Proud mum Katie Jordan. who helped organise the challenge, said: "These children are truly inspirational."

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By Simon Carter and Alex Greensmith