'For Luca': Penarth cousins set for Welsh Three Peaks challenge (From Penarth Times)

'For Luca': Penarth cousins set for Welsh Three Peaks challenge

4:30pm Thursday 2nd August 2012 in News By Chris Seal

A PENARTH family are set to complete the Welsh Three Peaks challenge in aid of charity.

The team - made up of Cathryn and Nicola Jones, David and Jonny Sadler, and James and Matt Runnalls - will begin their effort at climbing Wales’ three highest peaks in one day on Saturday (August 4).

And the Jones, Sadler and Runnalls cousins will be driven to the highest peaks of north, mid and south Wales (Snowdon, Cadair Idris and Pen y Fan) by Pete Jones and Neil Sadler.

All the money raised from their efforts will go to the charity ‘For Luca’, a campaign which aims to buy a pair of prosthetic legs for three-year-old Luca Williams.

Luca was struck down with Meningococcal Septicaemia, a type of blood poisoning, and had to have his lower limbs amputated in early January this year.

The charity gained widespread media coverage in April when photographer Dai Baker took a shot of his hand with ‘For LUCA’ scrawled on the palm, with US President Barack Obama in the background.

The picture was unauthorised and Dai was initially told not to use it, but after hearing about the charity the President allowed him to post the photo on Twitter and offered his own backing to the campaign. Celebrities and sports stars including Welsh rugby’s Ryan Jones, singer Pixie Lott, racing driver Sebastian Vettel and jockey AP McCoy have all tweeted similar photos to help raise awareness.

Former Stanwell pupil Cathryn said the campaign was close to her heart.

"Luca is one of my friend's nephews, so she’s spending a lot of her time fundraising for him and I thought we could do something to help," she explained.

"As cousins we fancied a challenge and had been talking about the three peaks a few years ago, so we decided to do it."

Graphic designer Cathryn, who has previously completed two triathlons for charity, added: "This is something different and a new challenge.

"But we are getting worried that it’s going to rain all weekend! We are all trying to get hold of water proof clothes, but are still hoping for some sun!"

The group will set off at 4am. To sponsor them online go to: https://www.justgiving.com/ThreeWelshPeaksForLuca

You can also follow the ‘For Luca’ campaign on Facebook and Twitter at: www.facebook.com/forluca1 and www.twitter.com/for_luca1