Two wheelchair users are attempting to “achieve the impossible” by climbing Snowdon to raise money for charity

David Bainbridge, who lives with a rare genetic disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and uses a wheelchair, will be helped by a 14-strong team of volunteers from the Jubilee Sailing Trust (JST) to conquer Snowdon’s 1,035m ascent.

He will also be joined by Abi Bubb, 36, who has a physical disability called Arthrogryposis which affects the muscles in her arms and legs.

The epic “Pulling Together up Snowdon” challenge hopes to raise more than £20,000 for the global sailing charity which transforms lives through inclusive adventures at sea.

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“I figured from my personal point of view I thought if I was going to do something I wanted to do it big,” said Mr Bainbridge.

“Something that was different and because I am a wheelchair user, changing perceptions or doing something not necessarily anyone would expect form someone in a wheelchair is part of the fun if you like.”

David, who is originally from Powys, has had to make a whole suite of modifications to his wheelchair to deal with the rough terrain: “I have the front of a BMX frame added some larger mountain bike wheels to the front of it.

"I am going to bolt it on underneath my wheelchair, remove my front castor legs because I snapped one of those off about two years ago.

“It will give me extra clearance and tilt the whole chair backward up slightly to ideally give about 12 inches of ground clearance underneath.

County Times: David Bainbridge and Abi Bubb look to counquer SnowdonDavid Bainbridge and Abi Bubb look to counquer Snowdon

"Then we’re going to put anchor points on the front of frame above the wheel, where the steering tubes are and then attachment points to the front of my actual wheelchair which will all be bolted together.

“Those three points will all be harnessed to people to take it in turns to 15 to 20 minutes per hour pulling with you know a harness on with the waist to assist me on the climb.

“We’re also toying with the idea of a push bar system on the rear of the wheelchair to enable on the trickiest sections because there is at least a 200 m section where the terrain is a nightmare.”

David, who is originally from Montgomery but currently lives in Peterborough, and Abi met on a Jubilee Sailing Trust voyage to Dublin and became firm friends, bonding over their sense of humour and according to David “have a very similar ethos really, we wanted to do something that was hard.”

County Times: Snowdon. Pic by Adam Williams.Snowdon. Pic by Adam Williams.

The physical challenge does not intimidate David. He said: “I suffer from chronic fatigue and I’ve been in constant severe pain since I don’t know when, it goes back to my childhood. I’m used to having to push myself beyond normal.

“I’m much stronger now in my upper body to be able to push. I’ve been doing a lot of rolling around and doing weight on my arms to build them up doing about 5-6 miles.”

There’s a team of about 14 going on the climb including David, Abi, Graham Strudwick who is one of the watch leaders on the voyages, members from London A and a couple of friends of David’s from Mid Wales “who got in touch as soon as I mentioned it.”

The challenge is et to take place on Saturday September 24. To donate to the ‘Pulling Together Up Snowdon’ challenge, please visit: https://jubileesailingtrust.enthuse.com/pf/pulling-together-up-snowdon-6a10a.