A team of Gwynedd creamery workers are going up in the world to raise money for a pair of charities that are close to their hearts.
Staff from South Caernarfon Creameries will tackle the ascent of Snowdon on Saturday, October 1, in aid of the Robin Llyr Evans Memorial Trust, Cofio Robin, and The DPJ Foundation, both with strong associations across Wales, particular the North and West.
Cofio Robin commemorates Robin Llyr Evans who tragically killed in 2015 in a fall at a newly-built stadium in Wuhan in China.
At the time Robin, aged 20, was travelling to tennis tournaments across the world working for Hawk-Eye, who provide a camera system that traces the ball’s trajectory during matches.
The charity, which provides financial support for talented young sportspeople from North West Wales, was established in the summer of 2018 by his family as a way of reflecting Robin’s “zest for life and his unparalleled interest in sports and people”.
Since then it has helped young sportspeople to the tune of over £40,000 and the fruits of the charity’s efforts have been on TV screens during this summer of sport with two of this year’s beneficiaries representing Wales, swimmer Medi Harris, from Borth y Gest, and weightlifter Catrin Jones, from Bangor.
Medi did particularly well, taking bronze in the 100 metres backstroke at the Commonwealth Games, in Birmingham, and following that up with a silver in the 4×200 metres relay at the European Championships in Rome.
The DPJ Foundation also has strong connections with Welsh farming after being set up in 2016 by the family of young Pembrokeshire agricultural contractor Daniel Picton-Jones, a father of two, who took his own life after struggling with depression, and it has now helped over 650 people across rural Wales.
Alan Wyn Jones, Managing Director at SCC, said: “These are two very important charities which do so much fantastic work and which mean a great deal to the people of this area.
“Robins father, Gareth, is a previous Chief Executive of SCC’s therefore we have our own connection with Cofio Robin and for the work that charity has done to encourage and support young sportspeople from North and West Wales.
“The work of the DPJ Foundation has also been so important in our heartland where the beauty of the countryside can obscure the fact that working long hours alone can bring its own pressures and loneliness and we know that they have helped and continue to help so many in agriculture.”
The walkers face a gruelling seven hours getting up and down Wales’s highest mountain and aim to raise at least £10,000, minimum of £5,000 for each charity. They will all be hoping for a fine day and among them is Marketing Manager Kirstie Jones, who is aiming to get in some late training ahead of the climb and she said: “I haven’t done much so far but I’ve got a couple of weeks left.
“I’ve never tackled Snowdon before but I have been up Pen y Fan a couple of times and we are doing it for two such excellent causes so I’m sure that will make us all even more determined to succeed.
“Both charities really strike a chord with us as a company as they both do such fantastic work and are so rooted in this area of Wales.
“We’re just praying for good weather and I’m sure the camaraderie and team spirit will make it a great day for us all.”
