Scaling new heights for wellbeing: Peak Explore CIC launches with gruelling 'Everest' challenge

A new community interest company, Peak Explore CIC, has launched across Shropshire and Mid-Wales, blending outdoor adventure, education, and emotional awareness to support neurodivergent young people and those with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, as well as adults.

Founded by former Head Teacher Kevin McGarvey, Peak Explore will cover Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, Powys, and Wrexham, offering activities from paddleboarding to CrossFit, all designed with specific, purposeful educational outcomes.

The Everest Rope Climb

To celebrate the company's launch, founder Kevin McGarvey is set to take on one of the UK’s most demanding endurance feats this winter: the Everest Rope Climb.

Inspired by the challenge famously completed by adventurer Ross Edgley, McGarvey will climb a rope repeatedly until he has scaled the equivalent height of Mount Everest: 8,848 metres. The gruelling event is scheduled for late December, with the final venue currently being confirmed.

More than just a demonstration of physical endurance, the climb is a major fundraising effort for the Teenage Cancer Trust, aiming to provide support for young people navigating life with cancer.

Men's Mental Health in the Woodlands

Alongside the high-profile challenge, Peak Explore is also launching a quieter, yet equally vital initiative: Men’s Bushcraft Sessions dedicated to supporting men’s mental health.

These sessions are held in the spectacular, calming setting of Tick Wood in Much Wenlock. They offer more than just practical skills like fire-lighting and shelter-building; they are designed to create a much-needed space for connection and reflection, away from the pressures of everyday life.

"For many men, especially those who’ve struggled to access traditional wellbeing support, this kind of environment can be transformative," explains McGarvey. "We’re building a more inclusive, grounded, and adventurous approach to wellbeing, one session at a time."

The first bushcraft session is set for 25th October, with new opportunities to join every month thereafter. Each gathering blends practical outdoor skills with gentle movement, conversation, tea, and coffee, providing an accessible and non-judgemental form of support.

For more information on the Men's Bushcraft Sessions or to follow Kevin McGarvey’s training for the Everest Rope Climb, visit the Peak Explore CIC website.