By Nick Humphreys

Copyright expressandstar

Aidan Wolvers and Matt Pardy recently scaled Snowdon, Cadair Idris and Pen y Fan in just 18 hours in their full firefighting gear to raise money for a neonatal unit and a men’s mental health charity.

After completing the gruelling 17-mile challenge and reaching an ascent of 2,334 metres, the Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service pair unfurled a banner in honour of former West Midlands Fire Service firefighter Chris Short, who died on August 17 this year, aged 42.

It said: “RIP Shorty. Forever in our hearts. Foot of the ladder.”

Chris, who was a firefighter since 2006, first joined West Midlands Fire Service, where he served at Cradley Heath, Aston and Dudley fire stations before transferring to the Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Between them, Aidan and Matt raised almost £3,000 for the neonatal unit at Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) and It Takes Balls To Talk, a mental health charity that supports people through sport.

Aidan told the Shropshire Star that Chris’s death “has affected us all”.

“He was like the dad of the group,” Aidan said. “He came over from the West Midlands to Shropshire and settled in straight away.

“He did a lot of work with the church and boxing in Telford. He was a really nice lad.”

On the challenge itself, he said: “It went really well. The weather wasn’t ideal. There were 50mph gusts at the top of Snowdon so that was a bit of a nasty one.

“It was a bit wet, but we had some great support. It was really good.

“We surprised ourselves. We were aiming for under 24 hours but we did it in 18.

“We’re pretty happy with the amount we raised.”

Matt chose to raise money for the neonatal ward because that’s where his son Noah was looked after for three weeks.

He said: “As some of you know, Emily and I spent three weeks there [at PRH] after Noah was born.

“The staff were lovely but the rooms for parents really could do with some love and attention.

“During what was probably the most stressful time of my life not knowing if Noah was going to be OK, a few home comforts might have made things easier: better bedding for parents, a comfy sofa, the possibility of meals, even microwaved, so we didn’t have to sprint to the cafe and back before Noah’s next feed.

“The little bits that aren’t really thought about are the bits that matter.”

Discussing why he was raising money, Aidan said: “Mental health is a pressing issue that affects many, yet it often goes unspoken.

“Many men struggle to express their feelings, often keeping them hidden until it becomes overwhelming.

“We are facing a mental health crisis in the fire and rescue service. Many studies have shown that mental health issues are far more common for UK firefighters than the general population.

“Sixty per cent of fire service workers who took part in a 2019 survey by Mind, the mental health charity, reported having personal experience of mental health problems.

“It Takes Balls To Talk aims to change this narrative by creating safe spaces where men can engage in meaningful conversations about their mental health.”

Following the tragic news of Chris’s death, firefighters across the county paid tribute to the father of three, who they described as a “fantastic firefighter” and “true gentleman”.