Climbing for SSAFA: One staircase or 100 mountains!

29 November 2022

Notts-based Ben Wilson, late of the Royal Air Force, has completed his self-set challenge of climbing the world’s 100 tallest peaks without leaving his home – except to climb Snowdon, known in Welsh as Eryn – in aid of SSAFA. His story is now on BBC News.

Inspired by Captain Tom, Ben started his epic ascents up and down his stairs at home during lockdown, taking in Mont Blanc, Everest, and K2, as well as Paektu Mountain in North Korea, which is a challenge for anyone to reach let alone climb.

In all, Ben took 2,292,593 steps during his mammoth fundraiser for SSAFA following support received from its Nottingham branch following his diagnoses of PTSD and COPD as a veteran.

Ben – who graduated with an MSc in Building Surveying from Nottingham Trent University after leaving the RAF – is studying for his chartership of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

Of his challenge, he told the BBC: “It gave me a reason to get out of bed and do something physical and push myself. I just couldn't stop."