Challenge Shapes Perspectives.

As a Canadian, heading into the Rockies for the Venari Partners Challenge feels especially meaningful, it's a landscape I've always felt a strong connection to as an avid hiker. I'm incredibly proud to be part of this initiative, combining my passion for trekking with such an important cause. As a team leader, I'm looking forward to supporting the group, taking on the challenge together, and creating an unforgettable experience. It's also fantastic to have WestJet involved as the travel partner, helping bring the journey to life.

Team Leader Gerry has dedicated his professional life to public service, and knows just how much it means to give back to the community and pull through tough times with other people. As a four-time veteran of the London Marathon, he's also no stranger to a challenge – though as Gerry notes wryly, at his age he probably doesn't have too many left in him. 'This expedition is about helping others find themselves again after hardship,' he notes, 'and I'm proud to help people do exactly that.' Gerry is fundraising for Flutter, a kidney cancer charity established by his friend Mary after her diagnosis.

Struggles with his mental health and personal life led to some difficult experiences and emotions for Chris. He had problems with drinking, isolated himself, suffered depression, and lost his job, which prompted him to seek help. Therapy was part of the journey, though men's mental health charity Andy's Man Club really helped Chris to process things he had been struggling with for a long time. As he started getting better, Chris began fundraising for Andy's Man Club and started vlogging too. He's done some amazing things since then, which have included visiting 15 countries, backpacking from Wigan, UK to Wigan, Canada in eight months, walking Hadrian's Wall, and couchsurfing to the Iron Ore train in the Sahara. Chris is thrilled to continue his work for Andy's Man Club in the Rockies.

Rob learned about the Venari Partners Challenge from Norway trekker Helen Ryvar, who appeared on his podcast before they took part in a charity climb of Snowdon together. He is a mental health nurse by background, with over 15 years' experience in the sector. Rob has suffered with anxiety and depression himself, and knows the value of exercise in managing your mental health from firsthand experience. A few years ago he discovered a passion for running and has since completed several marathons and co-recorded some 250 episodes of the running podcast, Couch to Coached. Physical activity is certainly a useful outlet for Rob, whose job is nothing if not demanding. Having completed several charity challenges previously, he is fundraising for the Children and Young People Intensive Support Hub (a multidisciplinary mental health facility) in Stoke-on-Trent.

Londoner Ian is a pillar of his community. He volunteers to help run Westminster House Youth Club in Nunhead and mentors young people through creative projects. Ian also distributed food from family businesses to homeless and elderly people during COVID through the Nunhead Knocks initiative, providing welfare support and food parcels on a voluntary basis for over 1,600 people. He has also raised money to help communities, including family members, affected by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica. Ian was inspired to see another black man from south London – Colombia trekker Josh Haynes – do so well on last year’s Challenge, and, like Josh, he is fundraising for Westminster House. Ian can’t wait for the sense of personal achievement the adventure will bring, not to mention creating further opportunities to help and work with young people.

Aiden first heard about the Venari Partners Challenge after attending a talk by Petra Challenger and Colombia team leader, Leighton Smith. Aiden was a talented gymnast as a child and used to coach, but a bad fall on a garden trampoline as a teenager left him with full-body paralysis (neck to feet). Doctors at Bristol Children's Hospital feared he might never walk again, only for Aiden to make a recovery that has been little short of miraculous. Aiden is a positive and resilient person, which underlines his outlook both as he recovered from injury – learning to walk, move his body and do gymnastics again – as well as in his charity fundraising efforts. Having raised money for The Grand Appeal before, he is looking forward to doing so again in the Rockies.

Jess was nominated by her partner, Dan, after an intense few years. Their son, Thomas (now six) was thought to have epilepsy before an MRI scan revealed a brain tumour. He spent five weeks at Bristol Children's Hospital and had two operations, only for the growth to return, which led to Thomas undergoing chemotherapy. This was happening during the pandemic, when Jess fell pregnant with their second child, Poppy. Thomas is thankfully all good now, though regular checkups are always stressful. Jess has barely had a moment to decompress and reflect on what her family has been through, so the Challenge is a great opportunity for her to pay tribute to their journey by fundraising for the Grand Appeal, the charity that helped Thomas so much.

Emma lost her first daughter, Sophia, when she was just under one month old. The staff at St Michael's Hospital in Bristol did all they could, with Emma and her husband Charlie offered free accommodation by Cots for Tots so they could be by Sophia's side day and night. Given the support Emma received from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Cots for Tots, she is also fundraising for the latter charity having previously raised a significant sum for them on a bike ride from Bristol to Paris. She is keen to give back to the organisation that helped her at a dark time and is looking forward to doing so again in the Rockies. For Emma, raising money in her daughter's memory helps her to heal. Charlie and their two other daughters can't wait to cheer her on.

Terry has been in recovery for almost 14 years, having previously experienced drug and alcohol addiction for some two decades. From being, in his own words, 'a street-level addict who had lost everything,' Terry turned his life around and is now a lecturer in Forensic Science at UWE Bristol, as well as an addiction recovery coach. Terry is fundraising for Cots for Tots, the dedicated neonatal intensive care charity based at St Michael's Hospital, in memory of his son, Jacob, who tragically died when he was just five days old in 2017. Terry has embarked on several fundraising adventures over the years, and is looking forward to the Challenge as a way of marking both his 50th birthday and his 14th year sober; his wife Karen and 11-year-old daughter will be cheering him on.

Weston-Super-Mare resident Nigel has volunteered at his local coast guard station for 19 years and was living an active life when his health took a turn for the worse. He received a series of misdiagnoses before finally realising he had a very rare liver condition. It was a hugely upsetting period for Nigel and his family, but thankfully he is now recovering and back in the gym after having two iron and two blood transfusions. For Nigel, the Challenge is an opportunity to turn over a new leaf and find himself again after various traumatic health scares. He's raising money for the coast guard station in Weston-Super-Mare, whose crew's dark humour Nigel credits with helping him to keep going in difficult times.