The owners of a Moray gym are taking on a mountainous challenge in support of a local charity.
Graeme and Helen Wright, along with 57 other people, are trekking the distance to the top of Mount Everest without even having to leave their home.
The couple, owners of Wright Fitness in Buckie, want people to tackle the 8,848m climb by completing 1,936 jumps or steps over 40 days.
The mammoth challenge has been launched in aid of CrossReach, which provides support services for people with physical and emotional difficulties throughout Scotland – including at a counselling centre in Buckie.
Mr Wright said: “I heard about CrossReach through friends who have used their services but we didn’t really know what the charity did.
“After finding out about the work they do across Scotland, and in Buckie, we decided to put our efforts into raising money for them.”
Mr Wright believes the mental wellbeing aspect of the challenge is “really important” as people are struggling amid the second lockdown.
He added: “As far as fitness goes, we had chosen this challenge before we went into second lockdown and wanted a challenge that could be done within the house and with no need for equipment or kit.
“This challenge has given people a bit of fitness focus and that helps with their mental wellbeing.
“It is almost a toolbox for our own mental health.
“Everybody suffers from mental health in some shape of form, and fitness and health is crucial in helping us.
“The challenge has been phenomenal so far with 57 people in teams of 10 working away really well, as people like a physical challenge.
“We have a closed Facebook group where we are cheering each other on to keep going and, at the end of the day, it is about motivating each other.”
Mr Wright added: “We completely blew our first target of £1,000 out of the water in the first week, which is amazing.”
To donate, people can visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/team-mount-everest
