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Four members of the Shankill Parish in Lurgan are rising to the challenge of tackling the four highest peaks of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in just one weekend.

Andy Williamson, Christine Connolly, Wendy Gardiner and Iain (Dino) Uprichard are signed up and ready to undertake The 4 Peaks Challenge from June 20-23.

They will start off with Ben Nevis on Friday, then Scafell Pike and Snowdon on Saturday before travelling back to Newcastle to climb Slieve Donard on Sunday afternoon.

The mammoth effort means that in just three days they will have climbed a total of 4,258m or almost half the height of Everest.

Christine Connolly, Andy Williamson, Wendy Gardiner and Iain ‘Dino’ Uprichard are getting ready for The 4-Peaks Challenge in aid of the Re-Imagining Shankill Project.

The intrepid team will have to endure more than 24 hours of climbing, 46 km of walking, 18 hours travelling in a minibus, only 15 hours sleep over three nights and on average complete 90,000 steps each.

Their effort to reach new heights is being done in order to raise vital funds for the Re-Imagining Shankill Project which plans to restore and reorder the church with the approach of the 300th anniversary of the original building in the centre of Lurgan.

Iain Uprichard said he signed up for The 4 Peaks Challenge as he “is approaching the age of my front door and my life insurance policy expires next year, never mind loving the mountains which are great for body, mind and soul.

"I will have to overcome a few obstacles to complete this awesome challenge and hope that I can help raise funds that will benefit others. I hope that my slightly competitive comical nature will help me climb to new heights,” he said.

In pictures: family fun in Lurgan at Shankill Parish Picnic in the Park

Diocesan lay reader Christine Connolly is taking part to add another achievement to her various road running competitions.

Andy Williamson, community evangelist for the parish, said he hopes to prove to himself that he can achieve this mammoth task.

Meanwhile, Wendy Gardiner, the outgoing church warden, said she was drawn to the 4Peaks because she “likes a wee challenge and also being outdoors”.

Local people are being encouraged to pick up their own 4 Peaks Challenge in support of Andy, Wendy, Iain and Christine by walking 90,000 closer to home.

By doing one lap of Lurgan Park (4,000 steps) once a day, in just three weeks participants could have completed the 90,000 step challenge.

Shankill Parish team prepare for 4 Peaks Challenge to help restore historic Lurgan Church of Ireland