Youngsters conquered fears and forged new friendships during an action-packed outing to Clip ‘n Climb Cambridge.
The trip was for siblings being supported by East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) at Milton.
They were either bereaved or those with a brother or sister receiving care and 14 children visited the centre, on the city’s Clifton Road Industrial Estate.
The day started with a short safety briefing, learning how to clip and unclip themselves, before attaching their safety harnesses and starting to climb.
They then tackled various walls, including the centre’s two extreme challenges – Stairway to Heaven and the Vertical Drop Slide.
EACH’s Family Comms Co-Ordinator, Mila Sousa, attended, along with Fay Wilde (Family Support Practitioner), Helen Thrower (Play Specialist), Ella Biggs (Care Assistant) and volunteer Joy Willett.
“It was such a wonderful day and lovely to see the siblings looking out for each other and being incredibly supportive,” said Mila.
“New friendships were forged from the start and, in some cases, even though they’d only met on the journey there, it felt like they’d known each other for years. They chatted away and it was great to see their confidence grow.
“That was also the case when it came to climbing. One of the children was particularly nervous and reluctant to start with but plucked up the courage and looked so proud to conquer their fears.
“Everyone at EACH is so grateful to Clip ‘n Climb Cambridge. It was a very fun and memorable day.”
EACH runs sibling events during every school holiday. They allow children to come together, have fun and make friends in a safe environment.
This was the second visit of the summer to Clip ‘n Climb Cambridge, as another group of 17 enjoyed a day there in early August. Both were fully booked long in advance.
After a packed lunch together, the group enjoyed various activities, including colouring and a wordsearch, before heading back to Milton.
They travelled by luxury coach courtesy of Dews Coaches. The company is a long-term supporter and provides transport for sibling days free of charge.
Beth Walthew, who co-owns Clip ‘n Climb Cambridge with husband Chris, said: “We were very happy to gift this climbing session to EACH.
“It does such amazing work in our region and it was great to welcome the siblings during their summer holidays.
“The children developed in confidence and climbing ability and our team really enjoyed their time with them.
“Our family has supported EACH for the last 15 years, through our annual Prospect Research charity quizzes at Emmanuel College, raising £20,000.
“We’ve also organised fundraising events and it’s our pleasure to provide these regular climbing sessions. We’re always happy to work with such an amazing charity.”
Pictures: Mila Sousa/EACH
