Local Partnerships takes on the Public Sector Challenge 

Local Partnerships is proud to be the Sustainability Partner for the 2026 Public Sector Challenge. The Challenge brings together people from across the public sector through a series of fundraising and wellbeing-focused challenge events that promote collaboration, resilience and shared purpose 

The challenge feels like a natural fit for us. Much of our work involves helping public sector organisations navigate challenging terrain. We connect central government policy with local delivery, support teams through change and helping turn complex problems into practical action. 

And we’re not just supporting from the sidelines. 

On 11 September 2026, a team of Local Partnerships colleagues will take on the ‘Earth, Mynd and Shire’ hill walking challenge in Shropshire, raising money for Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation. 

Our team, ‘Partners in Climb’, brings together colleagues from across Local Partnerships: 

• Ben Boswell 

• Debbie Fletcher 

• Andrew Gore 

• Estelle Hlustik-Smith 

• Chloe Hipwood-Norton 

• Neil Okninski 

• Sarah Wilkinson 

There’s something fitting about taking on a challenge that involves finding your way through unfamiliar terrain with a group of people. Anyone working in the public sector will know that the route ahead isn’t always straightforward. Priorities change, circumstances shift and sometimes the best way forward is to work things out together as you go. 

That’s how we work too. We work alongside public sector teams, bringing together different perspectives, skills and expertise to help navigate challenges and make progress. So, for us, taking part in the Public Sector Challenge is a chance to do that in a rather more literal sense, one step at a time, walking alongside colleagues from across the sector, while raising money for two important charities. 

As Sustainability Partner, the challenge also reflects our commitment to supporting a more sustainable public sector and to creating opportunities for people across the sector to connect, share experiences and work together. 

Find out more 

To find out more about the Public Sector Challenge, visit the Public Sector Challenge website and follow our team’s progress on LinkedIn using #LPClimb.