Hope House challenge to honour bet with his late wife

North Wales Chronicle

03-06-2025

Calling it the hardest physical and mental thing he has ever done, Matt Jones will be raising money for Hope House Tŷ Gobaith children's hospices, a charity that was very dear to his wife, Vicky.
Last September Matt was recovering in hospital after a hip replacement when a quip from Vicky to his surgeon turned into a family joke and bet.
Matt said: "The surgeon was telling me I had to slow down, or I would cause further damage to other parts of my body.
"Vicky was sat in the corner of the room laughing whist telling the surgeon, 'You might as well talk to a brick wall'.
"I'd fractured my ankle and tore my Achillies during the Llangollen 50k race in 2018 and my body mechanics haven't been right since.
"Vicky then told the surgeon: 'Knowing this idiot he will try and complete it again with a fridge on his back'.
"I replied: 'I will do it twice, with a fridge freezer on my back'.
"Smiling and laughing whist shaking her head, Vicky said: 'You've got yourself a bet Mr Jones'."
The couple's children brought the subject of the bet back up in conversation during January and it was known as 'One Bet'.
"They asked me if I would do it - I said yes and training began soon after."
Starting on Saturday, May 31, Matt has given himself 36 hours to take on more than 15,000 ft of elevation gain and 112km in distance across the Clwydian Range with a fridge freezer on his back.
Matt says the training for the challenge has been of great comfort and the mountains have become his 'church'.
"I'm doing this to honour Vicky's mantra and to help people believe in themselves.
"Vicky's mantra was: 'You are the only you, own it, rock it, feel it, embrace it, love it, and be it… be you'.
"I didn't think I would be able to do something like this after the operation, but Vicky knew I could do it.
"The training has been brutal. Without doubt the hardest training I have ever done, mentally and physically.
"The mountains have become my church."
You can follow Matt's epic adventure on social media: Instagram: @fridge_freezer_man or Facebook: Fridge freezer man
Anyone who would like to sponsor Matt can do so online here: tinyurl.com/ykrrkjd8