A COUPLE are preparing to take on a gruelling 21-day Himalayan trek to support the work of a North Yorkshire hospice.
Pete Boddy, 48, and his wife Di, will fly out to Nepal on April 8 to begin the 21-day challenge to Makalu Base Camp.
Mount Makalu stands at 8,463 metres high and is the fifth highest mountain in the world - and the trek to base camp will take Pete and Di to an altitude of up to 5,300m. Its more well-known neighbours include Everest and Lhotse.
Pete, an aerospace engineer, signed up for the trek after seeing it mentioned on business networking site LinkedIn by renowned adventurer Danny Bent, who will be one of the expedition leaders. There will also be a documentary filmmaker joining the group.
Pete, who was born and bred in Scarborough and now lives in Lytham, said: “It’s going to be fantastic. We’re totally off the beaten track and will be sleeping in tents for three weeks. It’s a once in a lifetime trip, so we said yes before we could talk ourselves out of it. This is not a normal adventure – it will be very demanding and will take us far out of our comfort zone.”
Pete is trekking for Saint Catherine’s in memory of his mum Beryl, who passed away in October 2019 after battling cancer.
He said: “It was an incredibly challenging time for me and my family but also a time that I look back on and feel proud about how hard mum fought, but also enduring fondness for the wonderful staff at Saint Catherine’s Hospice for the incredible kindness shown to us all. It left an indelible mark on me and I want to help in some way.
“I’ll be taking a photo of mum with me and hopefully a picture of her will be taken up to the Makalu summit by one of the climbers. I can’t help but smile, as mum hated flying and heights. I’d be in so much trouble.”
Susan Stephenson, communications and marketing manager at Saint Catherine’s, said the team were "blown away" when they heard about Pete and Di's challenge.
She said: "We wish them all the luck in the world on this amazing adventure. It is very special that Pete will be carrying a photo of his mum Beryl and we will be thinking of them all during these three weeks.
"The money raised will make help ensure other families can experience the same care Pete’s family received. Thank you so much and good luck.”
The couple have already beaten their target of raising £2,000 - but want to continue to fundraise as much as they can.
You can sponsor Pete and Di on their online donation page by visiting: https://bit.ly/3iWSYv0
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