Agency founder to take on 24-hour Snowdon fundraising challenge

Founder of Lancashire-based agency The Luxury Traveller Jen Lonergan will climb Mount Snowdon back to back over 24 hours for suicide prevention charity Mary O’Gara Foundation.

Lonergan will brave the highest mountain in England and Wales during the day and night of September 20 to mark 12 years since her brother took his own life.

During the Sunrise to Summit challenge, the agency founder is aiming to scale the peak “four or five times” to raise money for mental health awareness.

Mary O’Gara Foundation is a family-run, Lancashire-based charity set up in memory of Mary O’Gara – a young trainee nurse who took her own life after struggling with depression.

The organisation provides free suicide awareness and prevention training to schools, colleges, universities, youth groups and local industries across the northwest of England.

Lonergan said: “The idea is that, for somebody listening to the training, it could trigger a thought that a friend or family member might have been acting different recently. It raises awareness of some of the signs people are struggling and might spark much-needed conversations.

“If anyone then has concerns about people, or even about themselves, they have the support to help them. It’s a really important charity.

 “A lot of young people are under so much pressure these days with social media and other factors, so there are more people struggling in silence. I hope this challenge can make the smallest difference to help somebody – that would be a huge positive.”

She welcomes anyone from across the travel industry and the local area to join her for one or more ascents, or just to offer support on the day.

Lonergan is also seeking local businesses and travel companies to sponsor the challenge, with partners’ logos set to appear on a banner which will be flown and photographed every time she reaches the Snowdon summit.

She said: “This is an opportunity for brands to show they support a really worthy cause. A few local businesses have already agreed to sponsor, so that’s really encouraging.”

She added: “I love a challenge. I’ve got a lot of support from my family and friends in the industry who have said they’ll come along and do it with me, so I’m really excited.”

Donations to the fundraising effort can be made via the Sunrise to Summit GoFundMe page.