Staff from ProStock Vets will swap the surgery for the summit as they take on the Welsh 3 Peaks challenge on Saturday, July 18, to raise funds for Wales Air Ambulance and DPJ Foundation. The 18-strong team will tackle Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), Cadair Idris, and Pen y Fan all in a single day, covering 17 miles with 2,400 metres of elevation gain.
Celebrating 15 Years with a Challenge
This year marks ProStock Vets' 15th anniversary, and the team wanted to challenge themselves while supporting causes close to their hearts. Lee Farrar of ProStock Vets explained: “We wanted a challenge and we are a proud Welsh practice. The Welsh 3 Peaks seemed the ideal way to celebrate our 15-year anniversary and raise some sponsorship in aid of two incredible charities who are both heavily involved in the farming and rural community in our corner of Wales.”
The day will start early with the ascent of Snowdon, followed by Cadair Idris, and finishing with Pen y Fan. A larger group from ProStock is expected to join later in the day to cheer the team on and climb Pen y Fan together.
Supporting Vital Rural Charities
ProStock Vets have previously raised over £5,100 for Wales Air Ambulance through various fundraising events. Farrar highlighted the importance of the two charities: “The Wales Air Ambulance is crucial to rural communities, our farming clients and the general public across Wales, providing mobile emergency care in remote locations where access to hospitals can be challenging. I have seen first hand the work of the air ambulance during an on-farm incident, and it was such a huge relief to see the helicopter touch down opposite the farm, well in advance of the ground response.”
He added: “The DPJ Foundation plays a huge role in mental health support for our farming clients and has provided training to us as a practice in being able to support our farmers through difficult times.”
Wales Air Ambulance: A Lifesaving Service
The Wales Air Ambulance is a consultant-led service that delivers hospital-standard treatments to patients at the scene and, if needed, transfers them directly to the most appropriate hospital. It operates through a unique partnership between the third sector and the NHS, with the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) providing highly skilled NHS consultants and critical care practitioners. This advanced critical care includes administering anaesthesia, blood transfusions, and minor operations at the scene. As a pan-Wales service, crews travel across the country to deliver emergency care.
Mike May, regional fundraising manager for Wales Air Ambulance, said: “Good luck to everyone at ProStock Vets who will take on this huge challenge in 24 hours for two very important causes. We are extremely grateful to the vets for their continued support of our all-Wales lifesaving Charity, and we wish them all well with this challenge. Since 2016 ProStock Vets has raised over £5,000 for our charity, which is incredible.”
He continued: “ProStock Vets know the value of the Wales Air Ambulance to their clients and to themselves and have been big supporters of us. Our service is purely funded by charitable donations, and we need to raise £13m every year to keep our helicopters in the air and our rapid response vehicles on the road. This fundraiser will help us reach this target. Good luck everyone!”
Previous Fundraising Success
ProStock Vets, with branches in Carmarthen, Llangadog, Teifi, Lampeter and Whitland, have a history of fundraising. In 2021, vet Cath Tudor from Carmarthenshire completed a 980-mile cycle challenge from Land’s End to John O’Groats, raising £5,076 for Wales Air Ambulance and £3,000 for The DPJ Foundation.
People can support ProStock Vets' fundraiser by donating via their fundraising page at www.givewheel.com/fundraising/17376/prostock-takes-on-the-welsh-3-peaks/.
