Douglas Stafford team member Curtis Pitter scales Ben Nevis for charity

 

By Jamie White – Head of Communications

 

A team member from mystery shopping company Douglas Stafford has completed a gruelling climb of the UK’s highest mountain.

 

Curtis Pitter, who works in the Quality Control and Video Editing department decided to take on the Ben Nevis challenge to raise money for the Polycystic Kidney Disease Charity, after being told he suffered form the disease.

 

Curtis, 21, scaled the 1,344m high mountain with his friend Jared Ares Brutal.

 

As a youngster, Curtis had aspirations to join the RAF and applied for a role as a pilot. However, after passing the aptitude tests and interview, he was called for a medical, and it was during his medical in that he was diagnosed with PKD and was forced to terminate his application.

 

Instead of dwelling on his situation, Curtis instead decided to embark on a new challenge – to climb Ben Nevis.

 

Returning from the climb, he said: “The challenge was harder than I thought. If I was to do it again I would ensure I was fitter and stronger as I was on all fours for a vast majority of the journey.

 

“The Carn Mor Dearg Arete route is extremely narrow on the ridge and we had to be very careful. Jared and I gritted our teeth and communicated about when we needed to rest and when we should push on. We were very lucky with the weather. It didn’t rain much, and considering we were on a mountain ridge, the wind was very calm!”

 

It took Curtis almost seven hours to reach the Ben Nevis summit, followed by another three hours to get back down the Ben via the mountain track and a further two hours to get back to the car, which was loaned to him by Hamble Motors.

 

So far, Curtis has raised almost £2,000 for the PKD charity, with support from his family, friends and colleagues at Douglas Stafford’s head office at Lakeside North Harbour, Portsmouth.

 

Anyone wishing to support Curtis can do so at www.justgiving.com/curtis-pitter