Derbyshire firefighter duo taking on SAS hiking challenge for cancer charities

John Barton and Mark Roberts, part of the on-call rota at Bolsover fire station, will attempt to complete the famous 24 kilometre ‘Fan Dance’ route over Pen Y Fan, the highest peak in the Brecon Beacons National Park, on Monday, April 1 – a challenge used as part of the selection process for the SAS.

As if that did not sound enough of a fool’s errand, they will do it all while carrying a 60 kilogram log between them – meaning every penny raised for Macmillan Cancer Support and Prostate Cancer UK will be hard-earned.

The ‘Walking for John’ expedition began with their discovery that their dads – both named John – had been diagnosed with stage four cancers, an experience which has created a strong bond of friendship through months of training in the gym and out around the Peak District.

John Barton junior, 37, a self-employed joiner alongside his firefighting role, said: “It’s a sad story when you stop to think about it too much, and there’s been a lot of stress but it’s really brought us together and we decided to come up with a challenge to make a difference and give us a sense of purpose and direction through a hard time.

“It’s partly a way to show our dads that we’re there to support them, and keep them positive – and in the beginning raising money was the goal – but as it’s gone on we’ve met and talked to so many other people with similar stories. We’re doing this for all of them too.”

He added: “We also want to raise awareness so that men won’t ignore the possible tell-tale signs. Blokes often seem too proud to get checked out, or it’s something they don’t want to talk about.

“The most important thing I’ve learned is that if there’s any problem, deal with it now. Don’t leave it too late.”

John Barton senior, who lives in Sheffield, received his diagnosis just as the pandemic started, making the news doubly difficult for John junior, his mum Joan, two siblings and the seven grandchildren in the family.

John junior, a father of three, said: “He had no symptoms apart from hip pain, and that was because the cancer had got into his bones. He’s been through numerous rounds of chemotherapy and he’s currently in the middle of another.

“Prostate cancer can mean anything from a month to several years. There’s a big psychological battle to come to terms with it too, but fortunately he’s still with us.”

He added: “As an ex-miner he’s not the most open of blokes but Macmillan have always been open to him and I know they’ve helped Mark’s dad too.”

Chesterfield resident John Roberts had already received an all-clear from prostate cancer, first detected five years ago, before the disease was discovered again in his bowel, and he is currently convalescing at home after major surgery.

Mark, a father of two, is thought to be the only serving UK firefighter with epilepsy, working full-time at Staveley station as well as on-call at Bolsover.

He has fit he has fit his training around work and family responsibilities, and occasional sessions teaching bushcraft and survival skills to the Scout group where he used to be a leader.

The 41-year-old said: “The hardest part has been finding the time, but the great outdoors is a good coping mechanism for everything our dads are going through.

“We can’t do anything for them medically but this is our way of doing something for their chosen charities, supporting each other and giving everyone something positive to focus on.”

All those pressures have given Mark and John some preparation for what they face on Monday, but there is no doubting the scale of the task.

John said: “We’ve got a number of checkpoints along the way, and my mum’s told me to think about each one as a round of chemotherapy which my dad has managed to stick through – we’ve just got to get our heads down and take them one at a time.

“We set up a stand at the National Outdoor Expo in Birmingham last weekend, and we had lots of ex-special forces people come up and say we must be crazy – but our dads didn’t quit, so neither will we.”

Weather conditions have already pushed back the challenge from the original plan in December, when winds of up to 80 miles per hour on the slopes would have made carrying the log even more hazardous.

At the time of writing, the forecast for south Wales on Monday looks extremely wet with a chance of snow, giving Mark and John more to think about.

John said: “There’s lots of risk involved. From the second you set off, you’re straight into an incline up the mountain on very rocky terrain. We’ll not be thinking about the lovely scenery, we’ll be looking at our feet. If you switch off for a second there’s a real chance of injury.

“Once you get to the top, you come down via Jacob’s Ladder, which is like climbing down rocks with your hands, feet and the log.”

Mark added: “The weather’s a massive concern and the log creates real danger. If we slip while carrying that, it could cause a serious accident.”

The piece of wood means the two men will have to cooperate every step of the way, and is a nod to John’s profession and Mark’s former career as a landscape gardener.

John said: “It’s been a good conversation starter when we’ve been out training and collecting money, but it’s a very uncomfortable item to carry on your shoulder. You can’t just grip it in your hand, and if it rains it will soak up the water and get even heavier.”

The daring duo have already prompted donations of more than £2,400 and hope to surpass £4,000 by the time they are done, which will be split equally between the two charities.

To add to their final total, go to justgiving.com/team/walkforjohn. To follow their progress, go to facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552002831652.

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