08
May
Nidderdale grandad aims to climb the height of the world's tallest building EIGHT times for charity
This article is free to read. You can help support independent local journalism for as little as 14p a day – by subscribing to the Stray Ferret. To get started, just click here.
A 72-year-old grandfather from Nidderdale aims to climb eight times the height of the world's tallest building to raise thousands of pounds for charity.
Rob Northfield, from Clint, is planning to climb for four to six hours on a Stairmaster with the support of his friend, the former England and Leeds United footballer Tony Dorigo.
Last year, he lasted for three hours on the gym equipment, raising £10,300 for disability and sight-loss charity Henshaws, and this time he's aiming to double that time in aid of Henshaws and the Yorkshire Young Achievers Foundation.
Despite being fitted with a pacemaker in September, his target is to climb a staggering 6,632 metres – the equivalent of scaling the Burj Khalifa in Dubai eight times in a row.
Rob, who played for Leyton Orient FC in his youth, said:
It’s in my DNA. I’ve been running around since I was eight and never had a week off.
A lot of older people say their brain feels like it’s 21, well my body and my brain feel 21, I can run faster than most 21-year-olds. People get old before their time and it’s because they stop moving.
If I can inspire people to get fitter and give time or money to charity then that would be a real bonus.
Rob has been training for five months and is gradually increasing the number of hours he does on the Stairmaster. He said that training can be "lonely", but the money he is raising for charity keeps him going.
He said:
On Sunday, I went to the gym to do two-and-a-half hours on the Stairmaster before it closed, and it was empty. You do sometimes feel a bit lonely or think, ‘Why am I doing this, why am I here?’, but then the following day someone donated £1,000 and then you think ‘I know why I’m here’.
Rob Northfield and Tony Dorigo, who will be supporting him during the challenge.
Rob, who is now retired after founding several successful companies, is an avid fundraiser and has raised tens of thousands for charity over the years. He is a patron of Henshaws and last year raised £22,000 for the charity.
Thanks to his efforts, Henshaws has been able to offer life-changing resources, including iPads for non-verbal students at its specialist college in Harrogate, enabling them to communicate for the first time.
Rob’s fundraising has also provided materials for workshops held at the Henshaws Arts and Crafts Centre in Knaresborough, where young people with disabilities can develop skills, form friendships, and gain confidence to lead independent lives.
This year, Rob is also raising money for the Yorkshire Young Achievers Foundation that provides direct support to young people, and projects helping those young people, across the region.
Yorkshire Young Achievers Foundation chairman Peter McCormick said:
Rob has been a long-term supporter of our annual Yorkshire Young Achievers Awards, which raise money for the foundation, and we are delighted that he has chosen the foundation as one of the beneficiaries of his huge effort.
He knows our grants go direct to the young people who need them and this will help up to make a difference to even more lives.
Gemma Young, fundraising development manager at Henshaws, added:
Rob is nothing short of extraordinary. He continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible – physically and philanthropically.
Rob’s spirit and determination were rightly recognised when he received the Rob Burrow Outstanding Contribution to Charity Award in 2024, and he continues to live up to that honour with his latest challenge.
We’re incredibly proud to have him as a Henshaws patron and will be cheering him on every step of the way.
Rob is taking on his Stairmaster Challenge 2025 on Friday, June 13 at Knaresborough Leisure & Wellbeing Centre. Well-wishers can support his efforts by donating via his JustGiving fundraising page.
0