GVA conquers Yorkshire Three Peaks in aid of Greetland Community & Sports Centre
A team of GVA staff took on the iconic Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge on 30th May 2026, raising funds for the Golds clubhouse in Greetland — home to GOLDS, a community-driven organisation supporting grassroots sport across Greetland and the surrounding area. The challenge was born from a simple but generous pledge: GVA would match whatever the team raised, pound for pound. Through their JustGiving page and the generosity of local sports clubs, friends, and family, the team raised exactly £3,500 — which GVA have now matched in full, bringing their combined contribution to £7,000. With GOLDS working to raise a total of £35,000 towards the planned clubhouse extension, GVA’s initiative alone has delivered 20% of that target.
The team — Joe Norcliffe, Scott Bruce, and Joe Mitchell — gathered at Horton in Ribblesdale at quarter to five in the morning, fuelling up with breakfast before setting off just after half past six. The route began with Pen-y-ghent, which the team reached in around an hour and a half. From there, a long cross-country section — roughly nine miles of rolling terrain — led them to Whernside, the more accessible of the three peaks and noticeably busier for it. A gentler ascent gave way to a steep, rocky descent before the team wound through a farmyard and across a road, turning their attention to the final challenge: Ingleborough.
“You get to what looks like a natural rock ridge, and it seems manageable,” said Joe Norcliffe. “But it just gets harder and harder the further you go. You can see where you need to be in the distance, and you never seem to get there.” After a demanding scramble up a zigzag rocky section near the summit, the team completed all three peaks before making the long descent back to Horton in Ribblesdale.
“Glorious weather, brilliant views — there was no cloud cover at all. And then the promise of a nice pint on the way back down.”
— Joe Norcliffe, GVA
The team finished with a walking time of around eight hours and thirty-five minutes — and Joe was quick to note a personal best. “I came straight from the couch with no training whatsoever,” he said. “And I did it ten minutes quicker than when I did it back in 2022.” Fellow team member Joe Mitchell, by contrast, looked barely tested. “He was like a spring chicken, bouncing from rock to rock — he could have done it all over again.”
The Three Peaks challenge was a visible expression of a relationship between GVA and the local sporting community that runs far deeper than a single fundraising day. GVA’s involvement with Elland RLFC stretches back through kit sponsorship for the Under 7s and Under 9s teams, giving young players the kit they need to represent their club with pride. The company has also provided practical support to the Goldfields site itself, carrying out vegetation clearance, tree management, grass and hedge cutting, and stump grinding — work that keeps the facility safe and usable for everyone who relies on it.
That hands-on commitment is echoed throughout the GVA team. Mark Blair, who has coached at Greetland for eight years, oversees the Under 13s football team, with GVA sponsoring their kit and contributing towards competition match funding — meaning young players can take part in competitive fixtures without having to foot the bill themselves. Ian Whitaker, a GVA director, coaches the Under 11s Colts football team and has sponsored the side, while his son also plays at the club. Joe Norcliffe, Lisa Norman, and Alan Gray all have children involved in Elland RLFC at Golds, too.
About GOLDS and the clubhouse extension
GOLDS — the Goldfields Organisation for Local Development of Sports — is a community-driven organisation that has supported grassroots sport in Greetland since taking over the Goldfields facility in 2021. Since then, the clubs using the site have grown rapidly, and the existing clubhouse has struggled to keep pace.
Phase 1 of the “Big Build” planned extension will deliver:
- A new bar and function room for events, celebrations, and community gatherings
- Modern changing rooms for players of all ages
- Additional storage to support all club activities
- Step-free access and inclusive toilet facilities
- Utilities upgrades for year-round use
From the fells of the Yorkshire Dales to the fields of Greetland, this challenge was never just about the miles walked — it was about what waits at the other end. A community that shows up for its own, a club that brings people together, and a future worth building. £7,000 closer to that future, thanks to everyone who played their part.
Two weeks after the walk, on Friday 12th June, Joe Norcliffe handed a cheque for £3,500 to Gemma Redford of GOLDS — on a Friday evening when the grounds were exactly as they should be. Every pitch in use. Families in the clubhouse. Young people out on the fields, training, connecting, being part of something.
That’s the point, really. The connections young people build through sport — the resilience, the trust, the friendships that outlast the game — don’t happen by accident. They need somewhere to happen. For Greetland, that somewhere is Goldfields, and keeping it growing is what this has all been for.
Testimonial
“We are incredibly grateful to GVA and their staff for their generous donation towards Gold’s Big Build Appeal. Their support will make a real difference and brings us one step closer to creating something truly special for our community. Thank you, GVA, for your kindness and commitment to helping make this vision a reality.”
Gemma Redford – GOLDS
