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Mill Hill student to scale three peaks
An intrepid Mill Hill student is going to walk the length of the UK and climb the nation's three highest peaks for charity.
19-year-old James Ellen, of Mill Way, aims to complete the walk in one go, taking three months, and believes he will be the first person on record to do so.
James, who is on his gap year, will begin the trip on Saturday, April 12 and is aiming to raise £3000 for three charities including Cancer Research UK, after his mother received life-saving treatment for the illness four years ago.
He said: "Recently my aunt has also been diagnosed with cancer and so my resolve to raise as much money for this charity as possible and complete the walk is now stronger than ever before."
His route will take him from John O'Groats, the most north-easterly tip of Scotland, to Lands End at the western tip of Cornwall. He will also scale Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon.
"Outdoor pursuits have always been a big part of my life," he said. "I've climbed Snowdon and Scafell Pike before, but never Ben Nevis so I'm really excited about that one.
"I love the freedom of going to a place that not many people have been been to. The feeling of being on top of the world and getting away from the hustle and bustle, particularly of London, and exploring my thoughts."
James will complete most of the walk on his own, camping in a small two-man tent, though friends and family might join him along the way.
He acknowledged that while many of his peers jet off to Thailand and Australia, the less exotic, wet and windy locations he will be visiting are a less usual choice for gap-year students.
He said: "People often go off to explore the rest of the world, but they don't realise what's on their doorstep."
James will make a video diary of his trip which he will take into schools in the Mill Hill area when he returns to raise awareness of his causes and relate the experience of living out of a rucksack.
The two other charities he will raise money for are The Army Benevolent Fund and The Mill Hill School Combined Cadet Force Corps of Drums, inspired by his five years in the cadets.
To find out more about James' trip and to donate money visit his website, the3peaksjogle.co.uk
8:00am Monday 24th March 2008
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