Southam teachers take on mighty Ben Nevis - at night

Jaime Meredith, Nikki Morten, Joanne Gough and Suzanne Vincent, who all teach at the school, are not only planning to climb Ben Nevis to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society - but they are going to do it in the dark.

And Jaime, who says the group have no experience of trekking, let alone climbing in the pitch black night, is also afraid of heights.

Speaking to the Courier this week, two months before the big night on June 21 (midsummer’s eve), she said: “We have no experience of trekking and certainly not in the dark! I am terrified of heights so it will really test my stamina, strength and spirit.

“We have completed some walking to prepare but we still have a lot of preparation to go.”

The group is hoping to raise £1,600 for the Alzheimer’s Society, a charity all four of them want to support because they all know someone who has been affected by the form of dementia.

Jaime said: “The Alzheimer’s Society works so hard to help sufferers and their families, so when we saw their advert for the midnight challenge we knew it was something we could do to help raise funds.”

The aim is for the trekkers to reach the summit before sunrise so they can enjoy it as they make their way back down. Then they will travel back to Southam and return to work the next day.

Jaime said their fellow colleagues at Southam, as well as family and friends, have been very supportive so far, while pupils at the school recently organised a ‘guess the weight of the Easter egg’ competition to help boost their fundraising.

She said: “We are all really excited.

“It’s something totally different for all of us and it will certainly be a challenge. The lack of sleep will be a real difficulty - especially going back into the classroom on the Monday morning.”

To sponsor the teachers, call the school on 812560 or sponsor them online at www.justgiving.com/teams/Southambennevis