This year the 6 Peaks Challenge will seek to raise £1 million for Water Aid. You can help.

Taking on a tough physical challenge with a group of colleagues can help shake off workplace pressures, strengthen friendships and offer an unrivalled team-building experience. Throw in the chance to see some of the most spectacular scenery in the British Isles and raise money for a worthy cause and you've got Water Aid's 6 Peaks Challenge.

Britain's premier mountain challenge takes place between Friday 2 and Monday 5 July this year. The teams taking part have 50 miles to walk, 20,000 feet to climb, 1,000 miles to drive and two sea crossings to make to reach their goal - to climb the summits of the six highest mountains in the British Isles in just 72 hours. They will visit the Isle of Man, Wales, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (scaling a mountain in each), while raising money to provide water and sanitation to some of the world's poorest people.

One in eight of the world's population does not have access to safe water and 2.5 billion live without toilets. Without these basic essentials, people are unable to escape a daily reality of poverty and ill-health. Water Aid's vision is of a world where everyone has access to safe water and sanitation. Four thousand children die every day from easily preventable diseases such as diarrhoea. The £1 million raised by the 6 Peaks Challenge will transform thousands of lives.

Yorkshire Water's Ian Mitchell conceived the 6 Peaks Challenge 15 years ago. The first event in 1996 was made up of a group of friends giving it a go to see if it could be done. Since then, 6 Peaks has become a prestigious event attracting teams from the UK and beyond. Although it is administered by Water Aid, Mitchell still oversees the challenge itself, with the help of volunteers from Yorkshire Water staff, friends and family.

"It is an amazing way for people to see some of the most impressive sights of the British Isles," says Mitchell. "This event is one of the toughest charity challenges. By the time the teams finish they are absolutely exhausted, but it's a hugely rewarding, life-enhancing experience."

Water companies and their contractors have been some of the greatest supporters of the challenge over the years, with several companies taking part more than once.

Water is something we all take for granted in the UK and this support helps to raise awareness that nearly one billion people in the world's poorest communities do not have access to a supply of clean water. Just £15 can enable one person to access safe water and have improved hygiene and sanitation. These basic services underpin health, education and livelihoods, forming the first, essential step in overcoming poverty.

Jonathan Neame, from the Shepherd Neame Brewery in Kent, was on the winning team in 2009. He said afterwards: "Our team spirits stayed high and completing the challenge for Water Aid has given us a great sense of achievement. We've had a fantastic response from sponsors, a sign that Water Aid and the 6 Peaks Challenge are held in high regard. It was a strenuous few days, both physically and mentally, but worth every minute. An unforgettable team-­building experience."

*Come and have a go...*

Water Aid is hoping that the 2010 event, the 11th time the 6 Peaks Challenge has been run, will be its most successful ever and raise £250,000 in sponsorship. If you can put a team together of five to eight people (including two drivers) visit

www.wateraidsixpeakschallenge.org.uk for details of how to sign up. The closing date for entries is 30 April. There are also opportunities for companies to sponsor ­mountains or to help in other ways. For more details please phone 0845 120 1293.