Brave father embarks on endurance effort for charity

A Scarborough dad will be taking on a mammoth challenge to raise money for York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity to say ‘thank you’ to staff who cared for his three daughters, who were all born prematurely.

Joe Logan, 35, of Scarborough, is taking on the National Three Peaks Challenge along with 11 of his friends and family next month.

The team consists of a combination of friends, family, and colleagues, some of whom have already completed a staggering two outdoor endurance challenges in 2024. The group will be taking on the ultimate challenge by climbing and travelling to three highest peaks in three countries – Scotland, England, and Wales. Starting at Ben Nevis, continuing onto Scafell Pike and completing the challenge on Snowdonia all over a gruelling 24-hour period.

Remarkably Joe and his brother-in-law Jordan Mintoft have also signed up to complete a total of five challenges in 2024 for York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity.  This has included the Leeds Half Marathon and the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge. Joe will complete the year by pulling on his running shoes for the Great North Run and the Yorkshire 10k in the Autumn.  The group’s aim is to raise thousands for the hospital charity with all the money going directly back to Scarborough Hospital’s Special Baby Care Unit.

Joe’s wife Nicola and three daughters, Amelia, Paige, and Phoebe were all cared for on the unit.  Amelia, who is now six and at primary school and loves football, was born five weeks early in 2017.  Paige and Phoebe were born eight weeks early in March 2023.  They have recently taken their first steps.

“All our family and friends saw what Nicola and I went through,” explained Joe. “We wanted to say a huge thank you to staff, who were all unbelievable, both in Scarborough and at York.  Paige was transferred to York after going downhill suddenly. All the staff knew what we were going through and were amazing not just to Nicola and myself but our six-year-old who was worried about what was happening to her baby sisters.  I hope by doing this it can go some way in saying how much it meant.”

Nicola and Joe met when they were 17 and have lived and worked in Scarborough ever since.  The local community have rallied round and offered amazing support by donating to Joe’s fundraising goal of £3,000.  Family and friends from as far as Newcastle, Bradford, and Mansfield, have also joined in to help. The group will travel to Ben Nevis to start their adventure on Friday 2 August.

Joe said: “All the men who are close to me said they wanted to join me this time, and we have smashed it so far by completing two of our challenges. However, the next one is the biggest of them all.  We train individually and to prepare for the National Peaks we have completed as many challenges as possible for York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity this year. I will be thinking of my girls when I do it. I just hope I can come home and crash on the sofa after! 

He added: “All our wives and families have been fantastic, allowing us to spend time training away from home when we have young families and other commitments, sometimes away five times a week. My wife thinks I am crazy - she thinks I should have jumped out of plane it would have been a lot quicker, but I like to suffer if people are giving the charity their money!”

Rachel Brook, Charity Manager, said: “A huge thank you to Joe and all the team who have completed the challenges so far.  We wish them all the very best for the National Peak Challenge.  I’d also like to thank the families for being their cheerleaders.  What they have achieved is amazing, and all the money will go directly back into the unit that helped the Logan family."

If you would like to support Joe’s efforts – please go to: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/scarborough-scbu-team