MMA fighter to scale three of Scotland's highest peaks for men's mental health

An MMA fighter from Edinburgh will climb three of Scotland’s highest mountains in 24 hours to raise money for men’s mental health.

Ben Gray, 21, will scale Ben Nevis, Ben Macudi and Ben Lawers in aid of Brothers in Arms, which supports men struggling with mental health problems and suicidal thoughts.

Mr Gray will cover a total distance of 287km on August 8.

He will complete the majority of the challenge alone, with his brother and father for emotional support at the bottom of each mountain.

His plan is to begin the ascent of Ben Lawers at 5am on August 8, and be ready to tackle Ben Macudi in the Cairngorms by 11am.

After a two-hour car journey he hopes to reach the base of the largest of Scotland’s peaks, Ben Nevis, by 8pm.

Mr Gray has struggled with his own mental health in the past.

He said: “Being a professional fighter, I know how important your mindset is. I’m trained to self-motivate and push through the hardest moments in a match which at the time may seem completely unachievable.

“There has been times in my life that I’ve had to use this fighter mindset to get past my own anxieties and mental health issues, so I know what it’s like to fight that uphill battle with yourself, which is why I’m so committed to this cause.

“I know first-hand what it feels like to be struggling, to feel like the walls are closing in on you and that if you speak about it, you’re weak. But having come through that I now have the courage to discuss it and stand up for those who don’t feel like they have a voice.”

He added that he is inspired by Scottish adventurer and ex-Royal Marine Aldo Kane who completed the UK’s three highest peaks in 24-hours earlier this year, and by ex-Royal Marine Jason Fox who has spoken publicly about men’s mental health.

He said: “I’m a big fan of Aldo Kane, so his Three Peak Challenge really inspired me. I wanted to do something extreme to test myself while also raising money for a cause I believed in. So, when I started looking into it and found out that the Scottish Ben’s are actually bigger than Scaffel Pike and Snowdon, I thought maybe I could one-up him.

“Thinking about what both Kane and Fox have done, and all the people myself and Brothers In Arms will be helping with this challenge, will definitely help me get through the hardest parts of the 24 hour feat.”

Head of fundraising and education at Brothers In Arms, Kieran Woods, said: “This is a really impressive challenge which we hope will raise awareness and support for Brothers In Arms and everything we strive to do.

“We rely solely on donations, so we can’t thank Ben enough for taking on what will be a physically and mentally exhausting fundraising challenge. It’s great to see young men like Ben talking about their own experiences of mental health and setting out to make a difference to other men and their families.”

You can donate to the fundraiser here.

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