A TEAM of headteachers from Flintshire and Wrexham are set to take on a gruelling challenge of climbing more than 11,000ft worth of mountain terrain within 24 hours.

The team – including headteachers and deputy headteachers from Holywell, Flint, Bagillt, Mold and Wrexham – will face the well-known Three Peaks challenge this summer in aid of their local Mountain Rescue branch.

Mr Bryan Griffiths, headteacher from Ysgol Y Llan in Holywell, said: “This idea sort of snowballed from a discussion with a few headteachers from our neighbouring schools in Holywell. We all wanted to work together in order to raise money to help benefit the schools and decided that coming together as a team meant we could raise money for lots of great causes and give a boost to what our schools want to achieve.”

Mr Griffiths told the Leader that members of the group have been getting in shape for the difficult challenge ahead, including himself who plays football three times a week.

“We already have some keen walkers in the group and have been working hard to prepare for the challenge ahead. It has been hard to do anything all together as we are such a big group of busy people, but we are all committed to getting ready for the challenge ahead.”

Staff from Ysgol Y Llan, Ysgol Maes Y Felin, Ysgol Maesglas, Borras Park, Darland High, Parc y Llan, Ysgol Gwynedd, Glan Aber and teaching agency Educate are now in training for the upcoming challenge that will see them walk a total distance of 23 miles over the day.

The team will start at 5am in Scotland to tackle Ben Nevis, which stands at 4,409 ft and is the tallest of the three.

From there, the expedition will drive south into the Lake District where they climb Scafell Pike, measuring 3,209 ft. The final of the three is the Welsh mountain, Snowdon, standing at no less than 3,560 ft.

Mr Griffiths said that the school’s will all use their cut of the joint fundraising to make improvements to their individual schools.

He said: “Every school will do something different with the money we raise, I have planned on using the funds to help promote health and wellbeing at the school.

“One of our members of staff are keen to get a mile-a-day running track in place in the school which I have seen put in place in other schools and we could help fund our own through this challenge.”

For more information, or to donate towards the teachers fundraising efforts, go to www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/schoolsandmountainrescue.