Mayor of Wirksworth to attempt Everest bike climb for Derbyshire Unemployed Workers' Centres

The mayor of Wirksworth is swapping her ceremonial garb for bike chains and Lycra this summer as she attempts to climb the height of Everest to raise money for a Derbyshire welfare charity.
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Elisa McDonagh will set out on the 8,848 metre ascent in Holymoorside, rather than Nepal, on Saturday, June 25, in aid of the Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centres (DUWC), where she was previously a volunteer.

To complete the feat, Elisa must climb from the Lamb Inn on Loads Road and on to Longside Road 46 times.

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She said: “Many of the people that I helped at the DUWC felt they were having to climb their personal Everest every week just to keep their head above water.

Elisa McDonagh will be setting out on a tour de force for the  Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centres at the end of June.Elisa McDonagh will be setting out on a tour de force for the  Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centres at the end of June.
Elisa McDonagh will be setting out on a tour de force for the Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centres at the end of June.

“DUWC does such a fantastic job, not just in terms of practical help, but in giving a voice to some of the most powerless and isolated people in our communities.”

Mum-of-one Elisa is a member of Matlock Cycling Club and has previously conquered the infamous Cinglès in a day, three gruelling climbs on Mont Ventoux in France totalling 4,400 m.

She said: “I’ve raced road, cyclo-cross, mountain bike and time trials so I’m no stranger to pain. However, I’m under no illusion how tough completing an Everest will be, it will hurt both physically and mentally.

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“I won’t be fast and I’ll be a wreck at points – there could be some bad language. It’ll be the hardest thing I’ve done in my life. It will be horrific.

Elisa was elected to serve the town as mayor for 2021-22.Elisa was elected to serve the town as mayor for 2021-22.
Elisa was elected to serve the town as mayor for 2021-22.

“What will keep me going is all the people that will be helped by an organisation that has been a base camp for so many who have suffered redundancy or ill health.”

DUWC, which brought more than £100million into the local economy since 1983 by guiding people through benefits claims and tribunals, is expecting its supporters to be out encouraging Elisa. Some may even try the climb themselves.

Spokesman Colin Hampton said: “I have already been nicknamed Sherpa Tenpints as some think I will spend the day in the Lamb Inn.

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“In an ideal world, unemployed workers’ centres should not be needed but the reality is that they are still a lifeline for many people and a vital resource for our Derbyshire community.”

To donate, go to https://bit.ly/3wLfHSj.

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