A NEWLY-WED couple started their married life together by scaling Ben Nevis to raise vital funds for two hospices.

Fresh from their honeymoon in Scotland, newlyweds Alex and Alice Nightingale have started the rest of their lives together by climbed the UK’s highest mountain in a fundraiser for charities dear to them.

The couple are health and safety trainers from Bradwell-on-Sea, and tied the knot at the end of June.

They embarked on an eleven-mile trek with 1,344 metres of ascent to the top of Ben Nevis on Saturday, July 24 in an effort to raise money for the Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice in Peterborough and St Luke’s Hospice in Basildon.

The charities are special to the couple as they cared for two of their loved ones last year – Alex’s grandad, Colin, and Alice’s nanny, May.

And the fundraising climb is both a thank you to the hospices and in memory of their grandparents.

Alice, 24, and Alex, 30, trained for months in preparation for the charity climb including doing fitness coach Joe Wicks’ plan and plenty of cardio and weight training.

They also went on lots of walks on honeymoon with their dogs.

In addition to their mountain trek the determined duo held a collection for the two hospices at their wedding next to a beautiful display of their grandparents’ wedding photos.

They have now raised more than £1,000.

Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice cared for Alex’s grandad, Colin.

Alex said: “We were absolutely blown away by all of the support that not only Grandad received, but our family too.

“We had never been to a hospice before we visited Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice.

"We were so nervous the first time we came – we had no idea what to expect.

"We anticipated the whole place to have a dark, sad atmosphere, but couldn’t have been more wrong. It was strangely one of the happiest places we have been.

“Every member of staff walked around with a smile on their face, nothing was ever too much for them. They always made sure you were OK. Nothing seemed to be too difficult. For example, when grandad was very ill he was able to be moved to sit in the garden for a while, which I know would have meant so much to him.”

Alex added: “Grandad’s greatest passion was his family. He would get up to plenty of mischief with the grandchildren and great-grandchildren in more recent times. We all loved him dearly and he never failed to show how much he loved us.

“We are honoured to be doing this for such an amazing man. We feel it would have made him proud knowing that we can give back to the people that helped him so much when he needed it."

“The work hospices and their staff and volunteers do is often overlooked. They look after people when they are at their absolute lowest and do everything they can to make an awful situation the best it can be.”

Thorpe Hall spokeswoman Helen Kingston said: “From all of us here at Sue Ryder, our congratulations to Alice and Alex on their wedding. We are delighted and humbled that they have chosen to start their married life together by taking on this Ben Nevis climb and fundraising for our charity.

"We want to wish them all the luck in the world and say thank you. The funds and awareness raised through their inspiring tribute will help us to continue being there for other families when they need it most.”

To donate to the appeal, visit Support Alice and Alex’s charity climb through their Virgin Money Giving page: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/AliceandAlex1.

The national healthcare charity Sue Ryder launched an appeal last month asking people to help them fill families’ final days together with love by supporting their Room Full of Love campaign. The support the campaign receives helps Sue Ryder nurses and staff continue to go above and beyond, helping to give families a better goodbye.

For more information visit sueryder.org/rooms.