Latest news with #StAsaph-based
Rhyl Journal
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Gamlins Law directors climbed North Africa's highest peak
Ron Davison, managing director of Gamlins Law, and fellow director Dafydd Roberts, scaled Mount Toubkal in Morocco's Atlas Mountains in aid of the firm's nominated charity partner St Kentigern Hospice. Combined with Ron's running of the London Marathon in April, it means the pair have now raised almost £2,000 for St Asaph-based St Kentigern. Dafydd Roberts and Ron Davison at the top of Mount Toubkal. Ron and Dafydd were part of a 10-strong group that took on the climb to the 4,167m (13,671 ft) peak. Last year, they climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania raising more than £3,500 for Prostate Cancer UK and LawCare, the mental health charity for the legal sector. Dafydd said: "The whole trip was a great experience from spending time with the local Berber community through to the final ascent itself which saw us reach the summit an hour or so after sunrise. "We encountered lots of different weather during the trip from really warm to ice and snow as we approached the summit to torrential rain and hailstones when we were coming down the mountain. Coping with the high altitude also provided a challenge. "Experiencing life with the Berber community, with their villages set in the mountainside, was also something we won't forget, including an evening eating with our guide's family in their home. "It was also humbling to see how the communities are continuing to rebuild after a devastating earthquake caused so much destruction a couple of years ago. "Either side of the climb, we were fortunate to spend time in Marrakesh, including a trip into the Sahara Desert. On our final night we even bumped into the chef Tom Kerridge who was in Marrakesh on holiday!" Dafydd added: "We are delighted to raise further vital funds towards the work of St Kentigern Hospice. The team at the hospice made a video for us wishing us good luck and that certainly helped to spur us on. "We've got further climbs planned in the UK for later this year and are already plotting another trip abroad, possibly to the Alps or Himalayas next year."
Leader Live
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Gamlins Law directors climbed North Africa's highest peak
Ron Davison, managing director of Gamlins Law, and fellow director Dafydd Roberts, scaled Mount Toubkal in Morocco's Atlas Mountains in aid of the firm's nominated charity partner St Kentigern Hospice. Combined with Ron's running of the London Marathon in April, it means the pair have now raised almost £2,000 for St Asaph-based St Kentigern. Dafydd Roberts and Ron Davison at the top of Mount Toubkal. Ron and Dafydd were part of a 10-strong group that took on the climb to the 4,167m (13,671 ft) peak. Last year, they climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania raising more than £3,500 for Prostate Cancer UK and LawCare, the mental health charity for the legal sector. Dafydd said: "The whole trip was a great experience from spending time with the local Berber community through to the final ascent itself which saw us reach the summit an hour or so after sunrise. Read more: North Wales trio to embark on cycle to Thailand for charity "We encountered lots of different weather during the trip from really warm to ice and snow as we approached the summit to torrential rain and hailstones when we were coming down the mountain. Coping with the high altitude also provided a challenge. "Experiencing life with the Berber community, with their villages set in the mountainside, was also something we won't forget, including an evening eating with our guide's family in their home. "It was also humbling to see how the communities are continuing to rebuild after a devastating earthquake caused so much destruction a couple of years ago. Read more: Mountain rescue husband and wife recognised in the King's Honours List "Either side of the climb, we were fortunate to spend time in Marrakesh, including a trip into the Sahara Desert. On our final night we even bumped into the chef Tom Kerridge who was in Marrakesh on holiday!" Dafydd added: "We are delighted to raise further vital funds towards the work of St Kentigern Hospice. The team at the hospice made a video for us wishing us good luck and that certainly helped to spur us on. "We've got further climbs planned in the UK for later this year and are already plotting another trip abroad, possibly to the Alps or Himalayas next year."
Business News Wales
17-06-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Gamlins Law Directors Complete Mount Toubkal Charity Challenge
Gamlins Law's Dafydd Roberts and Ron Davison Two directors at North Wales' largest law firm have raised funds for charity after successfully climbing North Africa's highest peak. Ron Davison, Managing Director of Gamlins Law, and fellow director Dafydd Roberts scaled Mount Toubkal in Morocco's Atlas Mountains in aid of the firm's nominated charity partner St Kentigern Hospice. Combined with Ron's running of the London Marathon in April, it means the pair have now raised almost £2,000 for St Asaph-based St Kentigern. Ron and Dafydd were part of a 10-strong group that took on the climb to the 4,167m (13,671 ft) peak. Last year, they climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania raising more than £3,500 for Prostate Cancer UK and LawCare, the mental health charity for the legal sector. Dafydd said: 'The whole trip was a great experience from spending time with the local Berber community through to the final ascent itself which saw us reach the summit an hour or so after sunrise. 'We encountered lots of different weather during the trip from really warm to ice and snow as we approached the summit to torrential rain and hailstones when we were coming down the mountain. Coping with the high altitude also provided a challenge. 'Experiencing life with the Berber community, with their villages set in the mountainside, was also something we won't forget, including an evening eating with our guide's family in their home. 'It was also humbling to see how the communities are continuing to rebuild after a devastating earthquake caused so much destruction a couple of years ago. 'Either side of the climb, we were fortunate to spend time in Marrakesh including a trip into the Sahara Desert.' Snowy conditions on Mount Toubkal Dafydd added: 'We are delighted to raise further vital funds towards the work of St Kentigern Hospice. The team at the hospice made a video for us wishing us good luck and that certainly helped to spur us on. 'We've got further climbs planned in the UK for later this year and are already plotting another trip abroad, possibly to the Alps or Himalayas next year.' The hospice provides specialist palliative and end of life care to patients with life limiting illness, and support to their families across its catchment area of Denbighshire, West Flintshire, and East Conwy. Clinical services are delivered free of charge to patients and their families. The hospice, which includes a 12-bed inpatient unit, employs 95 staff, supported by a large team of volunteers. It costs over £4.4 million a year to run. Gamlins Law, which employs over 85 people, has its head office at Morfa Hall in Rhyl and further offices in Mold, Ruthin, Denbigh, Abergele and Holywell.
Leader Live
29-04-2025
- Health
- Leader Live
Richard's physical feat in aid of a trio of charities
After an impressive weight loss, Richard Williams is now taking on a new challenge - the Three Peaks in aid of a trio of charities. Richard will embark on the challenge with Castle Green Homes colleagues in the summer, but it's something he could only dream of doing just 15 months ago. "In 2023 I had a bit of a scare in life and the doctor said to me 'you are 50 and if you carry on the way you are, within five years you will have a heart attack, a stroke, type one diabetes and you might die'," Richard said. Read more: Humphrey Ker completes marathon to raise over £125,000 for Wrexham Miners Project "I was 22 stone, my knees were hurting and I was quite depressed." He'd had to have a seat belt extender on a flight and couldn't fit through a scaffold on a job. He was so embarrassed he'd make excuses not to attend social events. Having previously tried various diets with mixed results, he said: "I decided in December 2023 to go on a mission - if I'd waited until January, I never would have done it. I started off cutting food portions down and eating fresh food, then started walking a bit at a time." His old diet consisted of three cans of energy drinks, chocolate and "all the unhealthy stuff". Now he takes a packed lunch to work with wraps and fruit in, making a conscious choice to control portion size. Read more: Meet 6 cats and dogs hoping for their forever homes He said people started noticing his weight loss after about four stone. Richard, operations director at St Asaph-based Castle Green Homes, spoke at the company's staff conference about his journey and moved some colleagues to tears, while inspiring some to start losing weight. "It took a lot of courage to talk to 100-plus people about how I concurred my weight problem," he said. Richard is now firmly focused on training for the Three Peaks. He'll be joined on the challenge by colleagues Nigel Pritchard, Mike Williams, Gethyn Evans and George Povey. "The Three Peaks was something I'd dreamed of doing but couldn't because I was so overweight," Richard explained. Read more: Riding school charity's 'all or nothing' emergency funding plea "In August I started training hard, going up mountains including Snowdon. It killed me the first time but now I do it every month and in April and May I'll be doing it every week in preparation for tackling the Three Peaks in June." He's chosen to raise money for mental health charity Chasing the Stigma, Prostrate Cancer UK and Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue. "I want to make a difference with a group of people. If we can raise £100,000 it would mean a lot to me," Richard added. Revealing why he chose the charities, he explained: "I was suffering in silence. Being overweight made me hate myself which I was depressed about, but I put a smiley face on at work. I was quite a good actor, masking and making people think I was jolly, but I wasn't happy with myself. Read more: Flintshire group's fun 'call to action' puts spotlight on prostate cancer "It was like I was in a deep hole and when I tried to get out, I'd slip deeper but eventually I managed to climb to the top. Chasing the Stigma is a charity helping people who are struggling with their mental health, like I did, with the Hub of Hope, the UK's largest directory for mental health resources. With construction workers said to be four times more likely to die by suicide than the national average, it's a charity that's close to home. "Friends and colleagues have had prostate cancer, so helping that charity was a natural choice. Supporting Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue means that if someone is stranded, there's help coming." The group will take on the Three Peaks on June 26. They aim to start at Ben Nevis at about 5pm, sleep during the overnight drive to Scafell Pike, scale that peak by 8am and then on to Snowdon, with a target of finishing by 4.30pm. • To donate to Richard's fundraiser, visit:
