WILTSHIRE Olympian Shelley Rudman will be taking part in a Snowdon Challenge with Wiltshire Air Ambulance critical care paramedics Richard Miller and Ben Abbott to raise funds.

The challenge on June 8 is a new fundraising event for Wiltshire Air Ambulance and involves participants cycling 12 miles around the base of Mount Snowdon, followed by a trek to the summit. After lunch and descending down the mountain the participants complete the challenge by kayaking in a lake.

Shelley is an Ambassador for Wiltshire Air Ambulance and both she and Richard Miller took part in a 12-mile cycling challenge for the charity in 2016.

Richard said: “It’s great that Shelley is doing the Snowdon Challenge. When we both did the cycling event I beat her! It will be fun taking part in this challenge with Shelley, although it is not a competition. We really appreciate the support Shelley gives to the charity.”

Shelley, who lives in the Pewsey Vale, is a three-time Olympian competing in Skeleton Bobsleigh. She won the silver medal in 2006 and was world champion in 2013. She is now a personal trainer and a number of her clients are also planning to join her in the Snowdon Challenge.

Shelley said: “I’m really looking forward to the Snowdon event, as are my clients. It sounds an amazing event and will be a real challenge doing all three disciplines in one day. We are training for it and it will be great to take part with the Wiltshire Air Ambulance paramedics. Best of all though the money we raise will help Wiltshire Air Ambulance to continue saving lives.”

Richard and Ben have been training for the Snowdon Challenge by walking and cycling. Ben has climbed Snowdon numerous times while Richard has only done so once, when he was a boy.

Richard, who lives in Devizes and is also the clinical services and ground base manager at Wiltshire Air Ambulance, said: “I wanted to do the Snowdon Challenge because it will be great to go back there and walk up Snowdon as well as cycling and kayaking, which I have not done before.”

Ben, who succeeded Richard as the operations officer at Wiltshire Air Ambulance leading the team of paramedics, said: “I know Snowdon well but I’ve not had the chance to climb it this year, so it will be great to do so as well as taking on the challenge of cycling and kayaking on the same day. Snowdon is a beautiful part of the country and the scenery is stunning.”

If you’d like to join Shelley, Richard and Ben in the Snowdon Challenge, there are places available. Entry costs £40 and you have to raise a minimum of £450 in sponsorship.

To sign up or for more information visit the website https://www.wiltshireairambulance.co.uk/events/waa-events/snowdon-challenge/ or call the charity on 01225 300536.

A quiz night to raise funds towards Richard, Ben and their friend and paramedic Simon’s sponsorship takes place on Sunday, April 28 at the Flemish Weaver pub in Corsham at 7pm. Entry is £5 per person.