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Military wives are preparing to take on Three Peaks Challenge for Little Troopers

A group of military wives face a gruelling challenge as they prepare to climb England, Scotland and Wales’ highest peaks in a single day.

Since November, seven women from Invicta Park Barracks in Maidstone and another from Brompton Park Barracks in Chatham have been training for the three peak challenge.

The team will climb more than 11,000 feet as they scale Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England and Snowdon in Wales on Saturday.

Clare Marx with Celine Williams and Jo Stanley on top of Snowdon. (1701479)
Clare Marx with Celine Williams and Jo Stanley on top of Snowdon. (1701479)

Calling themselves ‘Chicks with Sticks’ the team is raising money for Little Troopers, which supports children whose parents are serving overseas.

The charity takes children out on day trips and weekends away at a subsidised price to help fill the time until their parents come home.

Clare Marx has been based at Invicta Park Barracks with husband Nicholas, a staff sergeant with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and their two children.

Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis

The 33-year-old said: “When you’re a military wife you always know your partner can do great things.

“We wanted to get out there and say we can do it too.

“It can be a lonely existence at times, seven of us are based at Maidstone and another is in Chatham, we have a Gurkha wife as well as British so this has really helped bring our community together and we’ve had a real laugh along the way.”

Scafell Pike in the Lake District.
Scafell Pike in the Lake District.

Joining Mrs Marx will be Celine Williams, Sue Drysadale, Meredith Grant, Lisa Britton, Fiona Mcneil, Jo Stanley and Rekha Rana.

Last month the team, all of whom are in their 30s, climbed Snowdon in preparation for the challenge, and have also walked around Bewl Water reservoir and the Seven Sisters series of cliffs in Sussex in preparation.

The mother of two, who has lived in Invicta Park, Royal Engineers Way, for two years, added: “I think we’ve all started to wonder if we’re fit enough, or whether we’re just plain crazy.

The summit of Mount Snowdon.
The summit of Mount Snowdon.

“But we’ve been training for a long time and I know we’re going to have a great time doing it.”

Chicks with Sticks are taking on the Three Peak Challenge on Saturday, May 19 and hope to raise £600 for Little Troopers.

To lend your support, visit tinyurl.com/threepeakchallenge.

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