A Cambridgeshire-based team from UK potato producer Greenvale AP was the top fundraiser for a leading national medical charity, Action Medical Research, in one of Britain's most gruelling outdoor races – The Three Peaks Challenge. The Greenvale team raised over £4,000 and came 7th out of 22 teams in the national event. 

The 'Greenvale Monarchs', five staff from the company's Tern Hill potato plant near Market Drayton, took part in the Three Peaks Challenge on July 11th. They managed to climb the three highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales, in 22 hours 45 minutes, including time to travel by road between each mountain- all rest, sleep and meal breaks had to be fitted in during travel time. 

"We've collected £4,082 in sponsorship money," said organiser Alister Thomson of Shrewsbury. "And we are over the moon that we were the top fundraisers for the event, collecting twice as much as the target set by the charity.

"We supported Action for Medical Research because they are a header charity for smaller charities which means the money gets through to individuals who need specialist help. Plus their focus on babies and young people was especially important to us."

Also in the team were Richard Griffith, Jon Rooke and Peter Coburn, all from Shrewsbury, and their colleague Richard Cliff from Stoke on Trent. They were joined by Paddington Bear, who had to be carried up each mountain as one of the rules of the event. 

"We worked hard to get in peak physical fitness, mainly by training alongside Paddington and sharing his marmalade sandwiches," says Alister Thomson. "They must have helped us as we finished well within the 24 hour deadline!"

Thomson says that many people who have completed Three Peaks in the past have described it as an experience of a lifetime, and that was certainly true in their case. "Not only have we supported one of the most deserving charities we know, but we are now more of a team at work as well."