PARENTS are gearing up for a mountainous challenge in aid of a playgroup in Kinver that was hit by funding cuts.

Potters Cross Pre-School Playgroup, based at Kinver Methodist church hall, suffered a financial blow in 2011, when South Staffordshire County Council reduced the funding available for children aged three and over.

The charity run playgroup is now £4,000 per year worse off and relies on an active fundraising committee, run voluntarily by some of the parents, to make up the shortfall.

As some committee members will be moving on as their children progress to primary school in September, they wanted to do one last big event to boost funds - the three peaks challenge.

They will set off on Saturday (June 21) and aim to climb the three highest mountains in the UK - Scotland’s Ben Nevis, Snowdonia in Wales and Scafell Pike in Cumbria - in just 24 hours.

Head of fundraising, Jennie Cameron, aged 39, said: “We’re just normal moms and dads – none of us are super fit mountaineer types, but we decided the three peaks challenge would be a great way for us to raise money.”

The parents, who have been training since January, aim to raise £3,000.

Donations can be made via Paypal at http://potterscrossplaygroup.co.uk/threepeaks.php.