DAIRY ingredient supplier Meadow Foods has announced members of staff will be tackling the arduous Cumbrian Challenge to raise more than £50,000 for a good cause.

The firm, which has a factory in Marlston Court, Chester, will be collecting funds in aid of Walking For The Wounded, a cause supported by the likes of Nick Knowles and Elizabeth Hurley, moulding a pathway for vulnerable veterans to re-integrate back into society and regain their independence.

The UK-based charity helps ex-service people find new careers and aids them in their journey back into life outside of the armed forces.

The Cumbrian Challenge is an annual flagship fundraising event that sees individuals, organisations and companies who want to show their support enduring a hike through the lake district.

Routes begin at 15km with a 900m ascent, with the toughest option being 29k with a staggering 1,900m ascent.

Emma Stevens, head of HR at Meadow Foods, said: “We are very proud of our Meadow Foods team who are taking on this challenge for such a worthy cause.

"We have a total of 20 staff members taking part from various divisions, and we’ll be cheering them on as a company every step of the way.”

Damian McDonlad, chief financial officer at Meadow Foods and who is participating in the Cumbrian Challenge, added: “We’ve been training for this for several months now, and still have more hard work to put in – but we know when we tot up the amount that we’ve raised for this wonderful charity, it will all be worth it!”

Meadow Foods employs more than 400 people across four BRC AA accredited sites in Chester, Peterborough, Holme-on-Spalding Moor and Dolgellau where they process more than 650 million litres of milk each year in the manufacture of value-added dairy ingredients.

To support Meadow Foods's charity challenge, visit www.cumbrianchallenge.org/organisation?kw=Meadow+Foods.