10 peaks challenge

Chapter headingChapter subheadingComing together to have fun, raise money for charity and remember colleagues...Contents

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Ten peaks, one purpose

By Liz Ling, Senior HR Business Partner

Every couple of years in our Central and West region, we try to do something that brings people together properly. Not just as teams, job titles or offices, but as people.

This year, that something was the 10 Peaks Challenge.

Colleagues from across the region came together in the Lake District to take on ten peaks in one day, raising money for the British Heart Foundation. It was hot, it was tough, and I’m sure there were moments when a few people wondered what on earth they’d signed up for. But more than anything, it was full of heart.

And that’s really why this challenge mattered so much.

We chose the British Heart Foundation because heart health has touched a lot of us personally. Over the last few years, we’ve sadly lost colleagues and friends who meant a great deal to the business and to the people who knew them. Some of those losses were sudden and incredibly difficult to come to terms with.

We thought a lot about our colleagues during the challenge. And they weren’t just colleagues, they were friends.

So yes, this challenge was about fundraising. But it was also about remembering. About doing something positive in honour of people we miss.

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Heart health is something we all need to take seriously.

Through our wellbeing checks, we’ve seen just how many people have discovered issues with blood pressure or cholesterol that they may not have known about otherwise. And when you hear that, alongside the stories of people we’ve lost, it makes you want to do something.

That’s what made the challenge feel so purposeful.

But it was also a brilliant day. There were nerves at the start, plenty of friendly competition, and a lot of tired legs by the end. One team even ran much of the route, which I still think is slightly mad but very impressive. What stood out most, though, was how much everyone supported each other.

Nobody finished on their own. They waited, encouraged, checked in and made sure they got through it together. That was the best part for me was seeing people who had doubted themselves come back down with this look of pride on their faces, knowing they had done it.

And when teams arrived back, everyone was clapped in. There was cheering, noise, laughter, and a real sense that everyone had achieved something special. By the evening, people were tired, blistered, sunburnt in odd places and probably ready for a very long sit down, but they were smiling.

That’s why events like this matter.

We all work hard, and the day-to-day can be busy and demanding. But taking time to have fun together, to meet people from different parts of the business, and to share something memorable makes such a difference. People who may never normally work together now have a story, a joke, a connection and that’s how colleagues become friends.

I was incredibly proud of everyone involved…

Those who walked, those who ran, those who supported, donated, organised and cheered people on. Together, we raised a fantastic amount for a charity that means a lot to many of us.

If there’s one thing I’d want people to take from the video, it’s this: get involved in our next one!

You don’t have to be the fastest or the fittest. You don’t even have to climb the peaks because the support around the challenge matters just as much. But being part of something like this, with people around you all pulling in the same direction, is a really special feeling.

It was emotional. It was fun. It was hard work. And it meant a great deal.

Most of all, it reminded me what we can do when we come together with purpose, with care, and with plenty of laughter along the way.

Want to be part of this kind of fun? Search Morgan Sindall careers by clicking here.

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