A fundraiser who pledged to climb a Lake District fell 1,000 times in aid of Eden Valley Hospice has made a final plea for support as he prepares to make the last ascent as part of his challenge.

Steve Hartley, who is 69 and lives in the Westward area near Wigton, began climbing the 2,175ft Carrock Fell in the northern Lakes in 2013, aiming to make 100 ascents each year, the equivalent to climbing Everest from sea level five times annually.

On Monday, September 5 Steve will be aiming to complete his 1,000th ascent and hopes it can be the springboard to raising even more money for the hospice which has supported his wife Jan, who has Multiple Sclerosis (MS), over a number of years as part of the charity’s Day Services.

Steve said: “I’m supporting Eden Valley Hospice as it has provided my wife vital day care services over the years, until Covid intervened, giving her important social interaction and interest which she might otherwise not get.

“It is also a highly respected and important local charity.

“Like many charities the hospice has struggled financially recently and needs as much support as possible.”

Steve and Jan used to enjoy hill walking together in the past until her condition worsened and took away some of Jan’s physical abilities.

Steve chose Carrock Fell as it is near to his home as he is a full-timecarer for Jan so the climbs can be done without disrupting her care for too long.

Steve has set up a Just Giving page at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/steve-hartley-carrock-challenge with his total currently sitting at more than £5,000.

Eden Valley Hospice, along with Jigsaw, Cumbria’s Children’s Hospice, need to raise more than £3 million each year to provide the services it does to local people with life-limiting illnesses as well as their families.

To learn more about the hospice and how you can support it, go to www.edenvalleyhospice.org.