Some mountains are visible. Others are climbed one step at a time, carrying a grief that no one else can see. That’s why Ollie and Georgina decided to do the National Three Peaks Challenge with a boiler on Ollie’s back, to represent the weight of grief that they and so many other families carry.
After experiencing complications during pregnancy, their daughter Ophelia Sylvie, was sadly born sleeping at the Jessop Wing on 6th March 2026.
Ollie said, “From the first moment we arrived at the ward, the staff were unbelievable. They treated us with kindness and compassion and let us be still in the silence. It meant a lot not having to say anything when you don’t really have the words.”
Georgina added, “The staff were incredible and did everything to create a peaceful environment for us during something that really isn’t peaceful. We were made aware that once she was born and I was medically well enough, we’d go to the Tulip room,”
The Tulip Room is a calming, comforting area designed to give families privacy and time during an extremely difficult experience and away from other busy areas in the hospital. It is a space for families to be together and create memories, such as holding their baby, taking photographs, collecting handprints or footprints, or having a naming or blessing ceremony.
“It was the little moments being in there that meant the world, like being able to sit on the sofa together with a blanket because that’s what we always do at home. We were able to be there together as a family. It was just such a well thought through, beautiful space to go through a difficult time in,” said Georgina.
“You never feel ready to leave your baby and it’s something no parent should have to go through. When we left the labour ward, we went back every day to the Bereavement Suite to go and visit her. We had the rest of the family come and meet her as again, the room made such a difference. There is a garden, so we were able to take her outside and listen to the birds. They had boxes of different keepsakes, so we blew bubbles out there with her and we did the same at her funeral.”
During one of their visits to the Bereavement Suite, the couple asked the team about Sheffield Hospitals Charity, having seen a sign in the Tulip room during their time there.
“After they explained just how much had been funded by the charity and their supporters, we just knew we wanted to give back. What could have been an incredibly traumatising experience became something filled with compassion, and that's because of the care we received and the environment we were able to be in,” Georgina explained.
Ollie added, “I don’t do well sitting around not doing anything and in hospital I just sat there feeling so useless. Any bloke who says he’s not useless during childbirth is kidding himself! I kept thinking about what I could do and after everything we experienced, I knew I wanted to do some sort of challenge that would be in Ophelia’s name. I used to be in the army during my 20’s so I’ve always been active which is how I landed on doing the National Three Peaks and aiming to complete them all in 24 hours.”
While this was already an impressive idea, Ollie wasn’t ready to stop there.
“I decided I wanted to do it all with a boiler on my back. People who experience grief carry its weight for the rest of their lives. I thought this will raise awareness for Sheffield Hospitals Charity and for other families going through similar experiences to us. On our training walks, we constantly get people asking why I’m carrying a boiler, so we get to stand at the top of a mountain and keep talking about Ophelia.”
For Georgina, nature became a place of healing.
"It's incredibly calming and grounding. While we're raising money for this amazing charity and saying Ophelia's name in her memory, it's also giving us something positive to focus on. It's helping to keep us united. I probably wasn't very grateful when Ollie first suggested doing this together! But I definitely am now."
“We’ve even carried on blowing bubbles at the top of every mountain or hill we climb. It might sound silly to some, but I enjoy getting to the top of the mountains because I feel kind of connected to her, getting to the top, pausing and just being there.
“We did this with our oldest daughter Elysia when we trained up Mam Tor to help her understand and to remember Ophelia as a family.”
Every summit has become another place where Ophelia's name is spoken, remembered and celebrated. With every step, Ollie and Georgina are carrying more than a boiler. They're carrying her memory and her legacy.
“We knew she was always going to be called Ophelia from early on as once we heard that name, we loved it so much that nothing else compared. Obviously now we know that it means to help and aid and with us doing this challenge in her memory, we’re hoping that her legacy will help other families like ours.”
Ollie added, “please donate anything if you can. This will have a direct impact on families who, like ours, will unfortunately go through the worst time of their lives.”
If you'd like to support Ollie and Georgina's challenge and help more families when they need it most, you can make a donation via their fundraising page here.
Published: Wednesday 19th of August 2026