Inspirational charity race up Snowdon led by Shepton man raises over £33,000

By Laura Linham

12th Jun 2024 | Local News

Josh Wintersgill and Maxwell McKnight will climb Snowdon on Saturday. (Image: Supplied)
Josh Wintersgill and Maxwell McKnight will climb Snowdon on Saturday. (Image: Supplied)

Josh Wintersgill, a 30-year-old from Shepton Mallet, is set to lead an inspirational charity race up Snowdon in powered wheelchairs, aiming to raise £100,000 for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) UK. Joining him in this remarkable challenge is 19-year-old Maxwell McKnight, with both individuals living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. The event, part of the #KnowNoBounds campaign, is scheduled for Saturday, 15 June.

Since its launch on 17 January, the campaign has already made significant strides, raising over £33,000, including a generous £25,000 donation from the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation.

The aim of #KnowNoBounds is not only to raise awareness about the need for more accessible outdoor spaces for people with disabilities but also to gather funds to purchase new powered wheelchairs. These specialised wheelchairs, costing around £25,000 each, enable individuals with SMA to explore the outdoors safely.

Joshua Wintersgill, disability entrepreneur and campaigner leading the event, said: "My good friend and I have set ourselves this mission, to raise £100K and much-needed awareness of the challenges people with disabilities can face. Having spent most of our lives using powered wheelchairs, we are extremely aware of the freedom specific powered chairs can provide.

"The support we have received so far has been humbling and motivates us even more to meet this big challenge. We are incredibly grateful for every donation, including the £25,000 kindly given to us by the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation."

Joshua Wintersgill's contributions to the disability community extend beyond this campaign. In 2018, he received a UK Disability Entrepreneur Award from the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, which helped him launch his business, Able Move Ltd. His company designs and manufactures equipment for people with disabilities, improving their travel experiences and overall quality of life.

The Snowdon race will be challenging, involving two teams carrying essential equipment, including batteries for the mobility chairs, over a 14.5km distance with an ascent of 1085m. The fundraising goals range from purchasing one all-terrain X8 wheelchair at £25,000 to funding two activity weekends for adults and children living with SMA at £100,000.

The campaign has garnered support from various organisations, including SMA UK, Lifestyle and Mobility, Sunrise Medical, and JOST Explore.

To view the #KnowNoBounds Just Giving page, please visit here.

Follow the campaign's progress on Instagram at knownoboundschallenge_ and on TikTok at knownoboundschallenge.

Josh Wintersgill and Maxwell McKnight also aim to set a world record for the fastest climb up Mount Snowdon in a powered wheelchair.

Their effort to scale the Welsh peak on June 15 will raise awareness for the inaccessibility of many hiking spots for disabled people.

Joshua Wintersgill said: "I'm proud of what the #KnowNoBounds campaign has accomplished so far. To raise national awareness about what we're doing means a huge amount and the money raised so far makes us more determined to achieve our goal and to highlight the challenges many people face on a daily basis."

     

New sheptonmallet Jobs Section Launched!!
Vacancies updated hourly!!
Click here: sheptonmallet jobs

Share:

Related Articles

Campaigners have criticised the government's slow progress in addressing air pollution levels. (File photo/Unsplash)
Local News

Air pollution linked to nearly 5% of deaths in Mendip

 The worst congestion is anticipated between 8am and 5pm.
Local News

Brace yourself for Glastonbury Festival Traffic: What locals need to know about the exodus on Monday

Sign-Up for our FREE Newsletter

We want to provide Shepton Mallet with more and more clickbait-free local news.
To do that, we need a loyal newsletter following.
Help us survive and sign up to our FREE weekly newsletter.

Already subscribed? Thank you. Just press X or click here.
We won't pass your details on to anyone else.
By clicking the Subscribe button you agree to our Privacy Policy.