25th January 2010
Two Norfolk friends, who have been inspired by a celebrity Mount Kilimanjaro trek, have decided to go one step further and trek to Everest base camp in aid of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH).
Katie Lake, Head of Physical Education at Reepham High school, and Graham Richardson, a Bernard Matthews employee, are trekking to Everest base camp during the Easter holidays (3–19 April) in an attempt to raise around £7,100 for EACH.
The pair, who became friends through Reepham Ladies Hockey team and Great Witchingham Cricket club, were first inspired by the celebrity Mount Kilimanjaro climb for Comic Relief.
Mrs Lake suggested going one better and attempting Everest, and after reading about Reepham father of four Mike Crawley’s climb for EACH earlier in the year, it became clear this was also the charity for them.
The EACH charity has helped Katie’s niece’s best friend through her final days and is a charity extremely close to her heart.
Their time is now spent keeping up their fitness levels by lots of walking and stair climbing, as the hills aren’t exactly challenging in Norfolk.
"We walk for two to three hours at a time" said Mr Richardson, "but to walk the same distance up Everest will take us at least 7 or 8 hours.
"We also don’t know how our bodies will react to the altitude because it can hit anyone whatever their fitness levels."
The pair have had huge support from friends and family and are still busy raising the money to take part in this amazing feat- events coming up include a band night at Lakeside in Lyng and a quiz night and auction of promises at the Great Witchingham cricket club.
If anyone would be interested in sponsoring this pair’s enormous efforts, please donate online at the website www.justgiving.com/katie-lakeandgraham-richardson, or send a cheque payable to EACH to 40A The Street, Lenwade, Norfolk, NR9 5SD.
EACH provides care and support for life-threatened children and their families in their own homes, as well as at the charity’s hospices based at Ipswich in Suffolk, which also serves North Essex, Quidenham in Norfolk and Milton in Cambridgeshire. EACH is a registered charity that relies upon public support for the majority of its required income of around £5.8 million.
