A GROUP of teachers will be pulling on their walking boots to raise funds in memory of well-known Teesside businessman Russ Devereux.
The director of Billingham firm Devereux Transport and Distribution, passed away in tragic circumstances last year at the age of just 41.
Now teachers and staff at Hutton Rudby Primary School, where his children are pupils, are ensuring that his memory lives on by preparing to tackle a National Three Peaks Challenge within 24 hours – on the first anniversary of Russ’s death on the May Bank Holiday weekend.
The aim is to raise £5,000 for a project focusing on childhood counselling and mental health awareness in schools across Teesside.
Their uphill challenge starts at Ben Nevis at around 10pm on Friday, May 3 and must be completed before 10pm the following night at Snowdon after scaling Scafell Pike.
Russ Devereux with wife Cath
Hutton Rudby School head teacher Matthew Kelly and four of his colleagues – Robert Johnson, Lucy Sors, Jennie Williams and Lucy Atkinson – will put their best foot forward to climb Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in the Lake District and Snowdon in North Wales.
He said: “Russ was the kindest, warmest and most generous person you could ever meet, and his wife Cath is chair of our board of governors.
“He would have loved to do this challenge and the whole idea of it is that it is intense and high-profile so we can raise as much money as possible for what is such an important issue as mental health, and in memory of such an incredible man.”
He added that while his school is fortunate to have a trained mental health counsellor, Nic Sutton-Haigh, many other schools are not in the same position.
“Mental health effects all walks of society and ages, and there is a lot more awareness about it nowadays,” he added.
“So we want to raise as much money as we can through this challenge.”
Matthew said the fundraiser has captured the whole school’s imagination while boosting fitness levels in readiness for it.
“Our school motto and ethos is Working Together, and that’s exactly what this is all about,” he added.
“It’s out of our comfort zones and apparently teams end up having to run down Snowdon to finish in time.”
To sponsor the Three Peaks Challenge, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/teamhuttonrudby
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here