Prestonian raises funds for Baby Beat by climbing Ben Nevis

Chris with his friend David Openshaw at the top of Ben Nevis

A Preston man has taken on Ben Nevis to raise vital funds for a maternity services charity who helped him and his family through a very challenging time.

Chris Wilding, 31, climbed the highest mountain in Scotland to raise £1,000 for Baby Beat a charity at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals.

Chris was sponsored £200 for his challenge by Preston developer Barratt and David Wilson Homes.

Chris climbed Ben Nevis on Saturday, 12 June with the support of his friend David Openshaw, who is really experienced with climbs such as this.

Chris and his family first experienced the work Baby Beat does when they were given the worrying news at their 20-week scan that the pregnancy with their second daughter wasn’t developing as she should be.

Doctors had noticed that there were unexplained pockets of fluid evident on their baby’s scans and said there was a potential that their baby may have a kidney missing so their pregnancy had to be closely monitored.

Chris said: “I chose to do the challenge because I felt the cause warranted me doing something completely out of my comfort zone because Baby Beat is something that my wife and I feel very connected to.

“We were very fortunate that Riven is healthy and well but it left me thinking that I honestly could not imagine what it must be like if that wasn’t the case because our situation was so distressing.

“After that, I decided that Baby Beat was a charity that I needed to support to try to ensure that they can get whatever they need to help families and babies to prevent as much distress as possible.

“It is massively important that we all support each other, especially in the current pandemic. Covid-19 has had such a devastating impact on everybody one way or another.

“It is so important that we care for our most vulnerable. Unborn and new born babies are 100% reliant on their families and support networks. They are unable to care for themselves in any aspect of their lives which is why the work Baby Beat is doing is so incredible to provide our local community’s most vulnerable with the best quality of life possible.”

Chris lives in Preston with his wife, Heather, and two daughters two-year-old Aurora and Riven, who is now a healthy eight-week-old baby.

The money raised for Baby Beat will go towards support, research and care for unborn and newly born babies and mums and mums-to-be. It will provide funds for projects that they have in place at this time.

Baby Beat supports the maternity and neonatal units across Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

To support Chris in his fundraising efforts, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/chris-wilding4.