Vimpacts for the Everest Volunteers

It’s not everyday that a group of passionate and dedicated group of young people have the opportunity to walk to Base-camp Mount Everest, all in aid of two charities that they have wonderfully raised over £10,000 for. Read more…

Esther Nash, Deputy Manager for Surrey vinvolved, had the opportunity to attend their presentation and celebration evening on 24 June, hosted by the team leader and mountaineer Rhys Morgan and present them with V’s vaward – the vimpact.

The young volunteers, Sophie Clark (18), Luke Warner (19), Rob Birks (23), Alex O’Malley (17) Natasha Charity (18) and Cameron (15), along with their families, school teachers, local counsel representatives, Heather Hunt (Fundraising Manager for BHF) and Mary Lacey (fundraising Manager for Woking Hospice) enjoyed the first team reunion, and celebrated with photos, stories and videos, and were proud to receive their certificates from the charities!

The young hikers departed for Nepal on Tuesday 23 March, eager to begin their 3 week hike across the huge mountainous range, kitted out for all the eventualities of blisters, altitude sickness and extreme conditions. They returned over 3 weeks later, delayed in Kathmandu for an extra week by the ash cloud.

Months before the trek, all the volunteers were eagerly and actively creatively fundraising – and achieved over £10,000, (over and above the £3,500 that they had to raise to fund themselves on the trip). Sophie Clark raised over £6,500 herself, from cake sales, car boots, presentations to school assemblies and local companies. Natasha Charity took it to the extreme and shaved off her 17inch ponytail raising a staggering £1500. Her hair is gradually growing back!

The funds have been split equally between the two charities. British Heart Foundation funds will be put towards research and finding treatments for heart disease, buying crucial life-saving equipment such as defibrillators, as well as supporting the Child Obesity Heart Appeal, educating young people on what affect an unhealthy lifestyle has on their body and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Funds for Woking & Sam Beare Hospices will aid their Day Care services, which were suspended before Christmas 2009 due to lack of funds. The service they provide is for patients and after-care treatment, as well as support for families.

Fundraising!

Rhys Morton hosted the evening showcasing stunning pictures of their expedition, along with a fantastic and moving video filmed and edited by Rob Birks (23) during the course of their trek. Though one might think it was a glamorous achievement, by no means was it easy for them. As one would expect, the terrain was a physical challenge, all members suffered from food poisoning which set back their schedule by a few days, sleeping and living in the extremities of temperatures (at Base Camp it was around –20C at night), the pressure and strain on their bodies continually adjusting to the altitude, the mental challenges against adversity and extreme unforeseen circumstances, learning to work together as a team, and coping with the emergency departure of the youngest volunteer (Cameron, 15) who had to be airlifted out due to extreme sickness and fatigue.
As the team celebrated their achievement and the physical and mental mountains they overcame they also reminisced with some of their experiences and lessons learnt, many life-transforming. Rob says “I wanted my volunteering to present an opportunity to challenge myself and throw me into completely new situations where I would have to learn on my feet….it’s about helping improve the lives of others whilst also helping yourself. I feel better equipped for life than I was before I began, and look forward to being a part of other future volunteering challenges in the future!”

In light of their volunteering achievements and fundraising, all 5 volunteers achieved their vimpact awards, a recognition of their volunteering and the difference they have helped make for both Hospices.

You can see more details of the expedition, please see www.steps2everest.co.uk