From donating clothes to charity shops to running marathons in fancy dress and risking life and limb jumping out of planes and climbing mountains – what sort of charity-supporter are you?
Zulfi Hussain MBE from Bradford is definitely at the more extreme end and has inspired five others to join him in his latest fundraiser for his not-for-profit organisation Global Promise.
At the end of September, Zulfi and his team will fly to Nepal and walk to Everest Base Camp to raise money for Help the Heroes, Marie Curie Cancer Care and The National Autistic Society.
“It will be the ultimate challenge – and I am looking forward a memorable fiftieth birthday celebration with the team at the end of the trek,” said Zulfi.
UK hotelier James Hemming, manager of Sherwood-Forest based Clumber Park Hotel and Spa, signed up to join the 18-day expedition to raise funds for The National Autistic Society.
“Since running the London Marathon a few years ago I’ve been looking for another challenging way to raise money for charity. When I learned of the trek to Everest Base Camp I knew it was the perfect opportunity to raise some money for The National Autistic Society. It’s the ultimate test of endurance and one which, I hope, will help a charity very close to my heart as my son was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome earlier this year,” said Hemmings.
The trek starts with a hair-raising flight from Kathmandu to the small town of Lukla in the foothills of the Nepalese Himalaya. From there it takes just under two weeks of strenuous walking, and around a total of 6,000m altitude gain, to reach the foot of Everest and descend again. The team’s two challenges are to reach Base Camp itself and hopefully see some summit expeditions preparing to start climbing, and to climb up to the peak of Kallar Pattar for truly spectacular views of Everest and the surrounding mountains.
The team also includes two members of staff from Trafford NHS Trust, Bash Ahmed, Service Manager for Surgery, and Angela Parkinson, Theatre Team Lead, plus Kimberley O’Callaghan from The Fixer in York and Steve Cox from Keel Toys in Kent.
“It’ll be hard work, but we’re really looking forward to it,” said Bash.