Ipswich girl, 6, climbs tallest English peak for hospital

As part of her family summer holiday to the Lake District, Mollie Studd raised £580 for Ipswich Hospital after climbing the 3,209ft Scafell Pike summit.

With her father Ryan Studd guiding the way, Mollie started her ascent on July 19, with the round trip taking five and a half hours.

A regular patient at Ipswich, Mollie’s younger brother Henry, 4, was born at 27 weeks old on November 6, 2018, when his due date was the following February.

Henry Studd was born premature at 27 weeks (Image: Studd family)

At a few weeks old, Henry had to undergo lifesaving surgery for necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), a perforation of the bowel, in London.

He was later admitted into Ipswich for a seven-week stay on the Framlingham ward.

The Great Blakenham family have revisited the hospital many times since then with Henry's development issues, but Mr Studd says Henry is now the healthiest he has ever been.

Mollie Studd at the peak of Scafell Pike (Image: Ryan Studd)

Mr Studd said: “We want to give back to Ipswich Hospital because what they've done for Henry is fantastic.

“Mollie was in the hospital for her allergy test and she saw the duck symbol - the Children’s Appeal symbol - and she asked me what it was. I told her it was a charity raising money for children. That’s probably where the idea came from.

Scafell Pike is 3,209ft high (Image: Studd family)

“As she did the Welly Walk around Jimmy's Farm last year, this year she said she wanted to do something else. I suggested we climb a mountain thinking it would be a small mountain, but she told me she wanted to do the biggest.

“Her challenge next year is Snowdon. I think she’s got the bug.”

The money will go to the hospital’s Children’s Appeal, currently fundraising for new indoor and outdoor equipment.