#TeamAlliance 3 Peaks Challenge

What is the name of your intervention?

#TeamAlliance 3 Peaks Challenge 

Corresponding health and wellbeing category

• All staff feel engaged and supported 

• Mental health and wellbeing 

• Physical activity 

Why did you choose this area of focus for your staff? 

We wanted to bring colleagues from different teams together to promote engagement across the business. We know that getting outdoors in nature is excellent for health and wellbeing, particularly mental and physical health. We also wanted to promote the ‘giving back’ aspect of wellbeing by raising money for good causes, and to have fun doing it. The aim was to do something challenging but also inclusive. Colleagues were able to support with fundraising and by joining the support crew if they preferred not to do the walking 

Description of intervention

In 2024 and 2025 we organised 3 peaks mountain walking challenges. The challenges were led and organised by a colleague James Wotton, one of our Gas Engineers, who is a mountain enthusiast and trail runner. He instigated the events using his experience, enthusiasm and energy. 

The challenge required a considerable time commitment from colleagues who had to undertake regular training walks to ensure they were mountain fit. Many of the people taking part had never climbed a mountain before and were on a steep learning curve.  

An important aspect of the challenges was giving something back, by fundraising for worthy causes. In 2024, we raised over £5000 for Weston Hospice Care. In 2025 both colleagues and customers selected our charity of the year, Somewhere to Go, a charity in Weston providing support to people facing homelessness. As a business, we encourage our colleagues to give back to the community through allowing them to take two ‘Make the Difference’ leave days each year to volunteer for a cause of their choice. Colleagues were able to use this leave to participate in the challenges.  

In 2024 a group of 30 colleagues successfully climbed the Welsh Three Peaks (Pen y Fan, Cader Idris and Snowdon) in one day, with 10 colleagues helping as support crew.  

In 2025 we decided to be even more ambitious and a group of 20 colleagues plus support crew took on the national 3 peaks challenge, climbing the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales (Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon).  

We left Portishead on 2 July 2025 in the middle of a heatwave and made the long journey to Scotland, arriving at Ben Nevis bunkhouse in glorious evening sunshine. The next morning. we woke to torrential rain, and it carried on raining for the next two days. It was freezing cold, windy and rainy on the top of each peak, with no view in sight but we didn’t let that deter us and everyone from Alliance completed the challenge. 

How did you involve your staff in the intervention? 

The challenge was planned and led by colleagues. A small group of colleagues supported James with the organisation, sharing out admin tasks such as booking accommodation and transport.  

Weekly Wednesday Morning Club walks and Friday Morning Club step training sessions were held in Weston and Portishead, and monthly training walks to various places including the Quantocks, Mendips, Welsh mountains and Dorset coast took place at weekends.  Some colleagues joined the training but decided not to do the challenge. Some supported the challenges and others got involved in fundraising.  

How engaged were senior leaders in the intervention? 

Senior leaders fully supported the national 3 peaks challenge, including the fundraising for our charity of the year, as this article shows.  

Alliance Homes announces Somewhere To Go as Charity of the Year 2025 | Alliance Homes 

 In 2024, Matt Bingham, our Director of Digital and Change, and a member of our Senior Leadership Team, took part in the challenge, acting as a role model and setting a great example to colleagues.  

Our senior leaders supported colleagues spending time organising the challenge and fundraising activities, recognising the benefits of this for colleague engagement. Our CEO recorded VLOGs that encouraged colleagues to make donations and took a keen interest in the group’s training and progress. Our senior leaders also made donations themselves.  

How did you promote and raise awareness of this intervention to staff

It was designed to be inclusive and everyone had the chance to take part. There was regular internal communication about the challenge on our intranet, screens around the office and in our weekly newsletter, All The News. It was also discussed at Your Voice, our colleague engagement group that meets each quarter. 

 Following initial comms about the challenge, a meeting was held for people to find out more and ask questions about what was involved. Following this people were asked to register their interest and commit to preparing for the challenge. We initially had a group of about 30 colleagues, but over the course of the year people dropped out for various reasons from family commitments, to getting a puppy! The final group of 20 undertook regular training in preparation and members of #teamalliance wrote blogs and posted pictures of the training walks on our intranet to keep everyone updated, including during the actual challenge.  

What has been the impact of this intervention for staff? 

The impact has been huge. Colleagues who took part inevitably improved their physical fitness, many surprising themselves in what they could achieve. Several have gone on to join TWAC (Trail Weston Athletics Club) and have taken up running.  

They also improved their overall wellbeing. The training helped us to bond as a team and really get to know each other. There was blood, lots of sweat, a few tears and so much laughter. We supported each other through the mental and physical hurdles and came out smiling. Several have made lasting friendships.  

This blog, published on our intranet by Laura Smith, describes the impact of the challenge brilliantly.   

“This challenge has been a life changing experience. #TeamAlliance you are all absolutely inspirational and I am proud of each and every one of us for getting up and down those mountains in what was the most horrendous weather conditions.  

 Thank you to everyone who has helped me train. To James Wotton https://alliancehomes.interactgo.com/Interact/Pages/Modules/Directory/Entry.aspx?person=829 for the constant nagging 😂 and Vickie Allen for FMC (Friday Morning Club) and those step repeats. I loved them but hated them 😂.  

 To everyone who has talked me through the “can’t do it times” and hugged me through the “I did it times” I am genuinely grateful for each and every one of you. The last 18 months have been challenging for me personally but being part of team alliance has saved me more than they will ever know.  

 To my Bravehearts team, I can’t articulate how much you all mean to me. You are all so special. I couldn’t have done it without you. It was a privilege to walk and climb with you, memories made to cherish forever.   

To my Thistle team, I am bursting with pride for you. Your resilience, determination and team spirit is infectious. You smashed those mountains in what was the most horrendous weather conditions.  You are without doubt the strongest individuals I know and I am honoured to have completed this challenge with you.  

 To the drivers and support crew, without you all this was impossible. Seeing your smiley faces at the bottom of each mountain was always the boost we needed, it felt like home. You are all amazing.  

 #twogroupsoneteam 

 To my family and children thank you for all the support and childcare. Mum, I said I’d do the 3 peaks for you one day, I thought of you every step. This was for you too #cancersurvivor” 

Laura’s blog summarises the impact on her. For each member of the group the impact was different. We all felt a fantastic sense of achievement, and relief, at completing the challenge.  

How do you plan to continue with this intervention in the future? 

The challenges themselves are complete, but colleagues who took part continue to meet for walks, runs and step challenges. This keeps both the social and physical benefits of the initiative going. Some of the group have gone on to join TWAC and are training for their first half marathons and some also recently completed the ‘race the train’ event.  

Fundraising activities for Somewhere to Go continue with a raffle being held at our colleague event in October and a Bake Off challenge for our SLT in November 

What have you learned from developing this intervention? 

The importance of teamwork has been the key learning. The support and encouragement of the group enabled us all to complete the challenge, despite the terrible weather. We trained for the physical challenge but on the mountains, it was as much mental as it was physical. We all had low points and the support and encouragement of our team helped us to carry on when we felt like giving up. Friendships have been formed which will carry on long after the challenge. 

Several members of the group have surprised themselves in how much fitter they are now and several have discovered a new found love of walking, running and of being outdoors. We’ve all learned that pushing ourselves outside our comfort zones is not scary and is in fact hugely rewarding.  

Can you offer any advice to other organisations thinking about developing this kind of intervention? 

Plan ahead! It took us the best part of a year to plan the challenge. There is lots to consider and it is good to have a team to share out the work and promote wider engagement. Don’t skimp on the mountain and hill repeat training, preparation is key and so it having the right kit for the weather conditions.  

Also involve the charity you are fundraising for as this really helps to motivate everyone. We all visited the day centre at Somewhere to go and this spurred us on to complete the challenge.