Edale Skyline Challenge

6-8th June 2025 - written by one of our fundraisers, Marcus Heslop

Last weekend, a team representing 3Pillars Project took on the iconic Edale Skyline walk, one of the Peak District’s most demanding long-distance hikes. Known for its rugged ridgelines and panoramic views above the Hope Valley, the Skyline route offers more than just physical challenge, it reflects the core values that 3Pillars Project holds as a charity: resilience, teamwork, and transformation through shared purpose.

From the first step out of the car park, our group was reminded of the very qualities we aim to instil in the young people we support, discipline, endurance, and mutual encouragement. The hike not only tested our physical limits but served as a powerful symbol of the uphill journey many of our participants face in rebuilding their lives after trauma, adversity, or custody. This walk was more than just a fundraiser, it was a statement of solidarity with those we support, and with those who walk beside us in our mission.

3Pillars Project was founded in 2015 by Mike Crofts, an ex-Army officer who swapped command and camouflage for coaching and community. After a stint volunteering in a young offenders’ institution, Mike realised that what these young men really needed wasn’t just discipline, but a bit of rugby, role models, and the odd rousing team talk. From that spark came 3Pillars, a charity with a serious mission delivered with heart (and probably a few muddy boots). Through rugby-based courses, mentoring, and vocational support, including employing inmates on day release, the team helps young people build resilience, confidence, and a lawful path forward. Hundreds have gone through the programme, and some have even come full circle to coach the next generation, proof that when you mix discipline with belief and a scrum or two, good things happen. Mike is a dear friend, and his drive and leadership are simply exceptional.

Taking on the Edale Skyline with the lads from 3Pillars was humbling, eye-opening, and honestly, pretty knackering. These young men, many from tough inner-city backgrounds, are climbing metaphorical mountains every day that make our little Peak District ramble look like a stroll to the corner shop. Listening to their stories of chaotic childhoods, impossible choices, and growing up far too fast really hit home. It was a stark reminder that charities like 3Pillars aren’t just helpful, they’re essential. That walk, with its never-ending hills and surprise bogs, felt like the perfect metaphor for their journey: steep, unpredictable, occasionally full of sheep, and only manageable with grit, humour, and a good team around you. There was time to talk, laugh, reflect, and shout motivational nonsense up wind-blasted hills, and somehow, we all made it to the end a little stronger.

Walking alongside the young men from 3Pillars, I couldn’t help but notice the unexpected parallels with my own life. Coming from a military family, discipline and structure were always there, sometimes helpful, sometimes stifling. Transitioning suddenly into civilian life after years in uniform brought its own set of challenges. The clear orders and routines were gone, replaced by the messy realities of raising a family, managing pressure, and making choices without a playbook. It struck me how easily the line between order and chaos can blur, much like my attempts at cooking, where a simple recipe can quickly devolve into a culinary crime scene.

We all rely on chances, second chances, and the people willing to back us. That’s what 3Pillars does, offers those chances to young men who’ve rarely had them. The walk was a reminder that while our paths may differ, the determination, support, and occasional bit of dark humour needed to keep going are universal. And just like life, some of the toughest climbs gave us the best views. Who knew the real treasure was the friends I made along the way?

If you’ve ever believed in second chances, in the power of community, or simply in giving someone the support they never had growing up, please take a moment to learn more about 3Pillars Project. This charity is changing lives, not through grand gestures, but through grit, mentoring, and genuine care. They work with young men who’ve faced more challenges by 18 than most of us will in a lifetime, and they do it with compassion, structure, and a bit of rugby thrown in for good measure.

Your support, whether it’s a donation, a share, or just a visit to their page, helps open doors, build confidence, and change futures. It’s a cause worth backing. Trust me, after walking 20-odd miles with these lads, I’ve never been more sure of anything.

👉 Check out 3Pillars Project and, if you can, please donate. Every step forward starts with someone willing to help.

Written by Marcus Heslop