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Mayor of Westhoughton, Councillor Neil Maher is doing a Charity Challenge in March 2025. Councillor Maher writes “I have served 22 years in the armed forces and 20 with the NHS. In 2018, to celebrate my 60th birthday, I walked Hadrian’s Wall unaided, and at the same time raised funds for local charities. Unfortunately, less than 12 months later my health and fitness progressively deteriorated.

Finally, last April I had a heart operation, following which I struggled to walk to the corner shop! However, I aim to get fitter and healthier again. So, I have set a challenge to walk up Snowdon unaided by March 2025 (circa 12 months after the operation), and raise money for 3 local charities:

Senior Solutions – is a local charity in Westhoughton providing regular social events for older residents of the town. The growing number of attendees gain personal benefits from social interaction and through health and wellbeing activities.

Westhoughton Assist – working hard to respond to food poverty and disadvantage in Westhoughton through their community food shop. They have been supporting households facing financial issues to access affordable food supplies, help and advise since 2020. In 2021, they opened a Community Shop in Westhoughton to help local people avoid food poverty and stay well.

The Darren Deady Foundation – The foundation was created in the memory of Kingsman Darren Deady who lost his life whilst serving in Helmand province, Afghanistan. It provides invaluable support to local veterans who have fallen on harder times, by providing temporary accommodation, meals and a variety of support channels. The foundation has recently taken over a former council building to provide more accommodation and welfare facilities. However, it is in need of repair and refurbishment.

I hope that you will be able to donate and follow my challenge to walk to the summit of Snowdon.”

The Mayor of Westhoughton, Councillor Neil Maher writes a diary of his training for the Snowden Challenge.

Week 1 - 31/10/24 - “This week I started my build up for the challenge in anger, with a 1.5hr walk to the top of Rivington Pike. The aim of this initial walk was to get the feel of walking on undulating ground, with a moderate challenge of an assent, and practice using walking sticks. I reached the top, but the fine views from the top were totally obscured by fine rain and thick mist, (better luck next time).”

Week 2 - 07/11/24 - “Today I walked 7 miles covering 3 local peaks of Rivington Tower, Two Lads and Winter Hill. Again the mist was down, the ground very wet and boggy. For those that know, my picture of me at the base of the very tall Winter Hill mast is typical of this time of year (better luck next time)!!!

This walk was a bit of a jump up from the last, a little more challenging, and one I probably need to repeat.”