And so the curtain falls on yet another year of adventure-packed, impactful and transformative Charity Challenges! Our Challenge Leaders work tirelessly to make sure every challenge is safe, fun and memorable for you, the participant. Our Leaders all share a love for the outdoors and a genuine passion for hearing your inspiring stories.
After months of fundraising, training and gearing up for your challenge – they know just how much it all means to you. And in turn, your challenges end up meaning a lot to them! Witnessing your determination to achieve great things – both for yourself and your chosen causes – is what makes their role as Leaders truly, truly special.
Keep reading to hear the top 2025 highlights from team Charity Challenge…
Simon Albert, Charity Challenge Director and Co-Founder
The highlight for me in 2025 was taking on a challenge with over a hundred fundraisers in the Sahara.
My son, Benji, graduated from University on the Monday and joined me on the flight a few days later, a free man with his whole life ahead of him. He witnessed for only the second time, at 22 years old, an overseas Charity Challenge event.
Watching him experience the highs and lows, the hugs and tears, the elation of completing the challenge, and the celebrations at the end was like experiencing it myself for the first time, all over again.
And the icing on the cake, was that on the last night, he said “Dad, I can’t tell you how inspired I am. I think I’d like to get more involved in the business. I’ve only ever really seen you working hard in the office and at night on your laptop and now I can see how much impact what you do is having on people, and for the charities being supported.”
With a tear rolling down my cheek, I told him we’d talk about it!
Phil Nelson, Challenge Leader
My highlight of 2025? Sleeping under the stars in the desert of Jordan on the Trek to Petra.
For some this was their first time doing this, and the entire group lay on camp beds raised above the rocky ground. It was such an amazing experience to watch the night sky, feel a gentle breeze on your face and I got an extremely long, relaxing and deep sleep.
It can be difficult to find the time to do this for a lot of people, so when the weather is good, it’s a magical way to sleep!
Amy Swinney, Challenge Leader
I can’t believe how much adventure this season has held. From the peaks of the Himalayas to the rugged Isle of Skye to the vast Sahara Desert, every step has been a reminder of the power of teamwork, the joy of discovery, and the incredible spirit of the teams I’ve had the privilege to lead.
One of the most memorable moments came in June with CoppaFeel! ‘Team Louise’ on the Isle of Skye. Despite grim weather and tough conditions, this group bonded like no other. “Team faff, go to the pub” became our mantra, and through perseverance and laughter, we came together in a way that felt truly magical.
The way the group rallied around one another was inspiring and sharing special moments with Sonny (our sole man) and his mother melted all of our hearts. It was a reminder that these challenges are not just about miles walked, but about bonds formed and memories made.
I also had the privilege of trekking in the Himalayas of India. Watching the rise of the strong and mighty, self-titled ‘Team Amy’, which culminated in a long and steep descent to the finish line at a speed not recorded before. The next week, Team Blue emerged as a force of nature. Each day, a different Team Captain brought fresh energy, lifting spirits and keeping us moving, being the heart and soul. By the end of the trek, the team had grown so close that we celebrated with a mini-award ceremony. It was a joyful, heartfelt finale to a journey that tested us all and proved the power of kindness and laughter.
The Sahara Desert in Morocco, for CoppaFeel!, offered a completely different kind of magic. Remote, vast, and grounding, it was a chance to simply “be” in another environment. This journey reminded me how important it is to rejuvenate a passion for travel, to embrace new cultures, and to adapt to challenges with openness. Thanks to Team Ashley’s lovely wordsmith, I was honoured to receive my trail name: “Kahina, Berber Queen of Desert Trekking.”
Throughout the year, we supported WaterAid, CoppaFeel!, British Red Cross, Roundhouse, and many open events for charities of choice. Every pound raised and every step taken made a difference, whether small or large, and gave purpose to every challenge.
I could not have imagined a better way to spend 2025 than with the Charity Challenge crew. A very special shout out to all the other leaders, doctors, event managers, and colleagues who offered invaluable support, friendship, laughter, and hugs. Here’s to more adventures, more resilience, and more shared magic in the year ahead!
Duncan Turnbull, Challenge Leader
My highlight was going to the Indian Himalayas and looking after two groups from HSBC. This was a back-to-back trip consisting of the first week trekking 100km+ with 4000m of ascent with the most incredible scenery and motivated people – then doing it all again the next week, which was amazing.
In between, we had four days down time in Bir Billing, which is one of the world’s capitals for paragliding – so it would have been rude not to! The scenery was phenomenal and the ground team was ably led by Sain (who by the way was absolutely incredible) – it was an amazing experience! Thank you for asking me to lead on this phenomenal experience!
John Allen, Challenge Leader
My standout Charity Challenge event for 2025 has to be The Race Around the Lakes event I was asked to plan for Capital One back in September.
The teams completed so much in just one weekend! Day one saw them canoeing on Derwent Water, trekking over the mountains and completing the Via Ferrata at Honister Quarry. Day two saw them using buses and mountain bikes to explore around Grasmere and Catherdral Quarry and finishing with a treasure hunt around Ambleside!
A truly fun packed weekend, despite the horrendous weather!
Vicki Weston, Challenge Leader
I have loved my first season working for Charity Challenge on a range of UK events and feel incredibly lucky I get to call this my job!
CoppaFeel! is a charity close to my heart so working on the South Downs and Cotswolds one-day events was definitely a highlight. Watching participants reunite with their CoppaTrek! team mates or experiencing the magic and glitter of a CoppaTrek! for the first time is very special. Both events had an amazing cheer squad of volunteers shaking their pompoms at every check point and epic finish line celebrations.
Another highlight for me was the CALM Trek For Tomorrow event in the Peak District. I had the pleasure of leading a great group who were so supportive of each other on this challenging hilly route – and I loved watching them cross the finish line singing their hearts out alongside Danny Jones.
I’m looking forward to lots more walking and talking next season.
Ian Morton, Challenge Leader
Another incredible year of challenges draws to a close, full once again of so many highlights – a first trip in six years to The Great Wall of China, a month in the Indian Himalayas, trips to the Isle of Skye and a trek across the Sahara Desert – all spectacular in their own way, and all while helping some amazing people raise money for so many deserving causes. Being asked to provide just one highlight amongst so many is always tough – but it does help me realise just how lucky I am to be privileged to do this job.
Choosing just one then, I would have to say it was heading back to the Laugavegur Trail in Iceland in July for the first time in seven years. This time around it was to lead a team on the CoppaTrek! Alumni challenge – and once again it left my head swimming, such is its raw beauty. Along with the breathtaking scenery, the teams had to deal with some of the most challenging weather conditions I’ve experienced on any trek – and they did so magnificently and with amazing positivity throughout, raising £250,000 for the charity. Another trip that will live long in the memory!
Here’s to 2026!
Elliot Swinney, Challenge Leader
It’s been a really fantastic season this year, with almost too many highlights to pick a single one!!
From bespoke events through London to the South Downs, Chilterns, Peak District, Isle of Skye and even the Himalayas – it’s been a year full of great adventures with some truly remarkable individuals, raising thousands for a great many charities.
However, if I was to pick just one, then having just got back from the CoppaTrek! with GI in the Sahara, this has to be the winner.
I was lucky enough to lead a team of 29 truly incredible people and our amazing team captain Bimini, over 120km through the desert whilst they raised a mind-blowing £835,000 for the CoppaFeel! charity.
We faced extreme heat, vast desert plains, giant sand dunes, great herds of camels, a sandstorm and even spotted a cobra! The days were tough but the team came together and were always laughing, smiling, sometimes singing, and truly having the best time. To top it off I was able to work with an absolutely brilliant team of Charity Challenge leaders which was a privilege in itself. To be part of a record breaking fundraising event will stay with me for a very long time.
It has been a whirlwind year with Charity Challenge and I’m already looking forward to seeing what 2026 brings, now it’s time to clean the sand out of all my kit!
Tom Rumsey, Challenge Leader
A highlight of mine was the hot but hugely satisfying day on Hadrian’s Wall back in July during the heatwave. A great squad of charity walkers raising money for all sorts of charities all achieved what they safely could in those conditions. No-one went away without knowing they had given it their best shot. A heady reminder mother nature is always in charge! Thirty started, thirteen miraculously completed the full 26 miles, but everyone did great no matter how far they got. Taking the brave decision when the time was right deserves huge respect. Getting through conditions like this takes strong team work, effective communication and resilience. Well done all!
Another was top memory was of The Race Across the Lakes in September – a brutal few days supporting a very spirited, determined and frankly brilliant group of fifty-four staff across nine teams from Capital One UK, taking on pretty much everything mother nature could throw at us. It was a tough event to pull together, but we pulled of something quite special in the end! Canoeing, Hiking, biking, cave-orienteering, treasure hunting, public-transporting, catapulting, route-planning, letter-boxing, puzzle solving and infinity-bridging…you name it, it was in there somewhere! Some proper foul weather was thrown at us (“proper wet rain”) which forced some very last minute creative thinking to keep the event moving (became more of an “Escape the flooding Borrowdale” type event really!) but some proper grit was shown and they all did brilliantly. Plus £30,000 was raised for BRACE Dementia Research. Good work all!
Richard Simpkin, Challenge Leader
So as another year draws to an end we can take some time out to review the year’s entertainment.
If I put my UK leader hat on then I am going for the last Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) at Night which was an open event run on the 4th October. Yes, that was the weekend of good old Storm Amy, not a pleasant night and we didn’t get near the summit – Clogwyn Station was the summit that night as the route to that point is pretty sheltered. After the station, the winds really kicked in, so we called it a day and descended. So, in some ways not a successful event but one that brought the participants closer together with a great feeling of camaraderie and, of course, we had a couple of participants wearing full firefighting kit, they certainly stood out no need for the obligatory yellow hi-vis!
I am very fortunate to be allowed out to play on some of the Charity Challenge overseas events and the challenge that meant the most was the CoppaTrek! with Gi – Sahara. These events are always challenging and emotional but most of all they are fun – and this one ticked all the boxes with long trekking days, sandstorms, camp evacuation due to said sandstorm, and amusing discussions about faffing. Most importantly, the team was such a fun and caring group (but don’t tell that I said so!).
Cari Evans, Challenge Leader
2025 has been an amazing year for me, working on challenges across the UK and getting the opportunity to work on my first overseas trip for Charity Challenge, in the magical country of Iceland, no less! But my highlight of the year has to be the CoppaTrek! to the Isle of Skye. I had the privilege of being part of the fantastic Team Fairy with Lizzy, Elliot, “Fun Facts” Phil and our celeb captain Bryony – leading an incredible group of beautiful and inspirational women in some of the toughest weather and ground conditions (who said “BOG!”?) I’ve encountered on a challenge.
I must confess, I love the CoppaTrek! challenges, every year brings new challengers, who within hours of first meeting have bonded into a strong and formidable team; it’s a good job too… one of the main features of this year’s trip was rain, more rain, LOTS OF RAIN! And alongside the rain, there was so much laughter, singing, fairy calls (and ok, fair play, quite a bit of swearing) which saw us through each day. As a leader, it feels humbling to get to be part of the team and to share in everyone’s stories and experiences.
I love that our team are still in touch with each other almost daily on our WhatsApp group and that many of the team are joining our next challenges in 2026 (if any of you are reading… see you there, can’t wait!). I sometimes get asked what it’s like being a leader for Charity Challenge, and the answer to that is easy… it’s the best job in the world!
Danny Barden, Challenge Leader
Having had yet another fantastic year working for Charity Challenge, it gets harder and harder to pick one ‘stand-out’ event for the year. However, perhaps because it felt like being on ‘home soil’, I’m settling on the Isle of Skye CoppaTrek! back in June as my most memorable highlight of 2025.
The week began with strong winds followed by the inevitable rain, but the Isle gave back in spades with tremendous views even through the misty moments. Team Louise also contributed to an ever increasing sense of family, as they helped each other across the burns, through the bogs and up and down the hillsides – ticking off each day in a fun, friendly and (almost!) faff-free manner.
Their physical, emotional and humorous efforts throughout the week matched those they had already put in to their fundraising successes, making for a truly exciting and very memorable experience for Sam, Tania, Amy and myself as their team ‘in loco parentis’.
Ian Waddington, Challenge Leader
I have two highlights of 2025, for slightly different reasons.
The first was Snowdon at Night on 4th October. It isn’t often that not reaching your objective is a highlight. The weather forecast was horrendous, 50-60 mph winds on the summit, add the rain and the dark, sensible folk would be tucked up in a nice warm bed. Instead a group of individuals raising money for various charities chose to face the elements.
A group like this is a pleasure to work with and lead. Not only did they take the weather in their stride, soldiering on through bad and worse, and get to 950m, within one kilometre of our objective: Yr Wyddfa. But then they were happy to accept the decision to turn round and go back despite getting so close.
Charity Challenge will always do its best to complete a challenge, but sometimes mother nature has other ideas, and carrying on is neither sensible nor safe. It is at times like this that the leaders really appreciate a group of individuals who listen to our advice, turn back, stay positive and supportive, working as a team. In short the weather was brutal and my team were fantastic.
The second was the Iceland Glacier Trek on 9th – 18th May. Charity Challenge leaders are fortunate to work in many different locations, mainly in the UK and sometimes overseas. Often we will know somewhere having been there in all weathers, and times of day, with many groups. Sometimes we get to visit new locations and see fresh sights. It isn’t often that you get to do something different.
Crossing a the Langjökull Ice Cap was very different. Yes I’d done lots of winter mountaineering in the UK, climbed and skied in the Alps, camped in the snow, even sleeping in snow holes. What I hadn’t done was skied pulling a pulk (or sled) behind me for six days. This was definitely new. Yes, I’ve been on glaciers and trudged through miles of snow but an ice cap is different. It is barren and largely devoid of features, there is nothing to slow the wind, and there is no fresh water.
To give you a feel for twenty four hours… You arrive at camp – an empty vista of snow. The first job is to level off a platform for your tent and surround it with a snow wall to protect it from the incessant wind. An extra part of putting the tent up is to dig out the porch area for half a metre. This helps to mitigate the risk of cooking inside the tent, it also means you can sit on the edge of the insulation with your legs relaxing into the pit, and standing up to get out of the tent is much easier. Simple things become very important.
Then you start melting snow. You need water for cooking, water to make hot drinks, water for cold drinks, water ready in thermoses to speed up breakfast. Forget water to wash, unless you are willing to face chilly snow bath, a wet wipe wash will do. Wake up and start melting snow for water, for breakfast, for a hot drink, for the thermos during the day, and for some drinking water (so long as it doesn’t freeze). Water is key to you performance and ability to generate warmth.
What makes this so special, going somewhere that few people in the world have been to, seeing the wonderful vistas and panoramas. hen being able to share the hardships and incredible highs with a people who were strangers a few days ago, and now have an indefinable bond with. This will be a highlight for me for many years, because of what I was doing, where I was doing it, and the people I shared this challenge and adventure with.
Sameed Asghar, Challenge Leader
My highlight of 2025 was working on the Charity Challenge Icelandic Lava Trek for CoppaFeel! Trekking across Iceland’s lava fields was an unforgettable privilege. I was completely blown away by the raw, otherworldly landscape. It honestly felt like a planet from Interstellar, and yes I did re-enact a scene from the film whilst I was there!
As a leader it was pretty full on at times and the weather conditions added to the eventfulness! That said, it was an honour to be there to support the group is such tough conditions. The group had crazy winds, relentless rain, and challenging terrain to contend with. However, everyone showed incredible strength, courage, and resilience. They all lifted each other up and stayed positive despite the conditions.
Graham Moates, Challenge Leader
My highlight must be the Isle of Skye trek with CoppaFeel!
An incredible few days in the splendour of Skye with a team of wondrous and remarkable people who dug deep through some very challenging weather. Such teamwork, resilience, and with a song for all occasions. Brilliant!
No Comments