Six-year-old Oscar Burrow from Lancaster hit headlines across the globe earlier this year when he completed a mammoth endurance challenge, climbing 12 UK mountains to the height of Mt Everest.
But the intrepid youngster hasn’t stopped there – climbing another three last week in the Three Peaks Challenge, pushing his fundraising for Derian House Children’s Hospice to a whopping £40,000.
Alongside his best friend, Ollie Perkins, aged seven, the pint-sized fundraiser summited the three highest peaks of Scotland, England and Wales on Thursday (3 August) in less than 48 hours.
The walking party also included Oscar’s grandfather Mark Burrow aka “Gangan”, 68, dad Matt and Ollie’s dad Paul.
“I want to raise even more money for poorly children so that we can help them have happy times with their families.” Said Oscar, who will turn seven on 12 August, adding: “For my birthday I’d really like to raise £60,000 for poorly children.
“I did 12 mountains but I wanted to do even more! So we climbed the National Three Peaks and it was a bit rainy on Snowdon but driving around watching movies was fun. I even went swimming in a lake! One day I’m going to climb the real Everest!”
The team completed the challenge in the official time of 45 hours, 50 minute, climbing 3,039 metres and a total of 21.4miles.
Dad Matt, said: “What an amazing few days. My biggest challenge was sleeping in the car whilst sharing the driving to each mountain – seriously not advisable!
“The challenge wasn’t without incident for the boys either – Oscar cut his head on Snowdon and Ollie tripped on Ben Nevis with his big stick more than once. But we learnt an important lesson – you can make your legs go up Ben Nevis even if they don’t want to! Thank you to all of our loyal supporters who gave us the motivation and courage to keep going.”
Mum Kim Burrow said: “We’re so incredibly proud of Oscar and everything he has done. He has so much energy and will never stop until he has finished what he wants to achieve.”
Kerry Pritchard, Community Fundraiser at Derian House, said: “No challenge is big enough for little Oscar, and he’s definitely proved that over the last year – climbing more than the height of Mt Everest, and always with a smile on his face.
“Oscar has raised an incredible amount of money for the children and families of Derian House and we’re so grateful. It is only down to the generosity of our incredible supporters – like Oscar and his family – that we are able to do what we do for families.”
Derian House, based in Chorley, Lancashire, cares for more than 400 babies, children, young people and their families from across the North West and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
It will cost £6 million to run services at Derian House in 2023, and so the charity relies on the generosity of its supporters for 70p in every £1.
To sponsor Oscar visit: Oscar Burrow is fundraising for Derian House Children’s Hospice (justgiving.com)
