Twenty colleagues, from across the business, made up five teams to walk 10, 20, or 30 miles in the Severn Trent Mountain Challenge on Saturday 8 July. The walks started at Tittesworth Reservoir Visitor Centre with teams then navigating across the edge of the Peak District, relying on map-reading and orienteering skills along the way. Two teams completed the 10-mile trek, one team completed the 20-mile trek and 2 teams completed the 30-mile trek.
Severn Trent Water, one of our largest clients, organise the annual challenge to raise funds for WaterAid, a charity which partners with organisations across the globe to provide clean water, decent toilets, and good hygiene. They were one of the founding firms behind WaterAid and they have been fundraising via the mountain challenge since 1993.
Assistant Planner, Maxwell Griffin, who organised the event, said: “It was great for Fisher German to support such a worthy cause. It was a tough challenge, but we had a lot of laughs along the way, and it was great to network with people from Severn Trent. Most of us had not worked together, so we ensured the walking groups were mixed to allow for new connections.
“The challenge has always been so highly spoken about with our project teams at Severn Trent and those from Fisher German who have previously taken part. It’s a great way to fundraise for WaterAid which is determined to make clean water, toilets, and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere, within a generation, to help change lives, is worth fundraising and walking for.”
One of our associates, Eleanor Grant, who works in our infrastructure team in Newark added: “Water Aid is a fantastic charity, things we take for granted such as clean water and toilets are desperately needed by millions of people in Bangladesh.
“I enjoy a challenge and felt a 30-mile walk in the Peak District was a good one. It was a great chance to spend some time with colleagues outside of work, whilst enjoying the best of the Staffordshire moorlands and peaks although taking my boots off and getting in a hot bath and the end was also a highlight!
“I think it is important to acknowledge that not everyone is as lucky as we are, and millions of people are in a situation where their very basic needs are not met. Working in the water industry highlights the amount of infrastructure, work and finance that is required to provide clean water and sanitation to individuals so anything that can be done to help provide this is worthwhile.”
Surveyor, Bonnie Harvey who works in our infrastructure team at our Doncaster office said: “It was a great opportunity to team build outside of work whilst enjoying some beautiful scenery and raising money for an extremely worthy cause. It is important to push yourself and challenges like these are not only great for your physical and mental health but also give you an immense sense of achievement whilst raising money for charity.”
Alice Allcock, a placement surveyor in our infrastructure team at Stafford said: “It was a great opportunity to connect with Severn Trent outside of work whilst raising money for a great cause. I was able to connect with other colleagues at Fisher German as well as the team I work closely with at Severn Trent.
“I think it is important to do these challenges as an individual to prove to yourself what you are capable of both mentally and physically. This challenge proved to me what I am capable of and despite having sore feet afterwards, I never gave up!”
In total, WaterAid has raised £4,836 with £1,910 raised by the Fisher German team. Find out more about WaterAid and donate by clicking here.
