Climbing for a cause: fundraising team prepares for Three Peaks Challenge

3 May 2026

For Durham Police Roads Policing Sergeant Steve Adey, service has always been about more than enforcement - it’s about people.

After 18 years with the Force, including 12 in roads policing, he and a team of colleagues are gearing up for one of the UK’s toughest endurance challenges: the National Three Peaks.

The challenge involves climbing the highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales within a 24-hour period. The total walking distance is 23 miles and a total ascent of 3064 metres, plus around 462 miles of driving between the peaks.

And as they prepare for the challenge, one thing is clear: this is more than a test of stamina. It’s a testament to resilience, teamwork, and the power of turning personal pain into purpose.

 

 

The team is climbing in support of 4Louis, a charity that helps bereaved parents navigate unimaginable loss - miscarriage, stillbirth, sudden infant death, and the death of older children. The charity provides memory boxes and keepsakes, including delicate porcelain handprints and footprints, giving families something tangible to hold onto amid grief.

For Steve, this cause is deeply personal. On 1 May 2019, his daughter Primrose died suddenly, just a week before her second birthday.

“It tears your world apart,” he said. “Both me and my wife are in the job, and we deal with traumatic incidents - but nothing prepares you for that.”

“Primrose was loving, adventurous, and endlessly affectionate. For someone so full of life to be gone so suddenly - it’s a contradiction you can never quite make sense of.”

Challenge

Her loss now drives everything he does.

“Primrose is a big part of why I’m doing this. If I can turn the worst thing that’s ever happened to me into something positive - into helping others - then that means everything.”

Steve won’t be taking on the challenge alone. Around 22 participants - including colleagues from roads policing, special constables, and members of the media team - will tackle the peaks together. An additional two people will be dedicated support drivers.

Having previously completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks, Steve knows the physical demands of mountain climbing. But this challenge feels different, both in scale and purpose.

“This will be tough, no doubt. But it’s also an opportunity to reflect, to be part of something really positive,” he said.

Training is already underway, despite demanding schedules, with another group climb planned soon.

Fundraising team

Alongside his personal experience, Steve leads a team that regularly faces the harshest realities of road policing, many of whom make up the fundraising team.

“There are many elements to this fundraising challenge. One is about raising awareness of the ‘fatal four’ in driving: speeding, drink or drug impairment, distraction, and not wearing a seatbelt,” Steve explained.

“We attend collisions involving children. We really understand how vital charities like 4Louis are for parents and families who lose a child, especially when the circumstances are so sudden and tragic.”

“What we ask from our officers goes far beyond what most people can comprehend. The welfare of my team is huge,” Steve said.

“This challenge will also give colleagues a chance to connect and escape the everyday routine.”

Despite the physical and mental demands that may come with the challenge - perhaps rain, wind and exhaustion - being out on the mountains provides a rare opportunity to talk, decompress, and debrief.

Mental health

“In a profession where the worst experiences can stay with you, those moments matter. Mental health has always been there, but now we’re better at talking about it. My team are open - they’ll speak up if they’re struggling. That’s important.”

Steve’s own experience shapes how he supports others on the job.

“When we attend collisions where families have lost a child - I get it. I truly understand that pain,” he said, emphasising the importance of support networks, especially for men who may struggle to open up.

“That’s why charities like 4Louis are so important. I honestly don’t know how families get through that kind of loss without support.”

Steve and his wife are parents to three other children. Their eldest son was just eight when Primrose died - old enough to understand the loss, but still so young to process it. Since then, they’ve adopted two more children, yet Primrose remains a constant presence in their lives.

“We talk about her all the time. She’s part of our family story, and she always will be.” Steve said, ending: “Primrose has given us the strength and the desire to improve life for others. That’s what this is all about.”

Support the team’s fundraising efforts by visiting their JustGiving page.

READ MORE: Durham Police Federation marks successful Response Policing Week.