Maybe it was the fact we’d all enjoyed one too many drinks at the annual office party but even after the hangover had faded, the seed had been sown, the gauntlet had been thrown down and there was no way Andy, Petra or I were backing down from the opportunity of a lifetime.

This year, as Petra marks 10 years supporting Marie Curie, Andy and I will be joining her and 25 others for an 11 day trek to Everest Base Camp in the Nepalese Himalaya.

Perched at 5364 meters, it will push each of us to our absolute limits as we battle altitude sickness and extreme temperatures but in the process we hope to raise a mountain of funds to help support families back home who are caring for a loved one at the end of life.

Marie Curie cared for Petra’s mum Renate in 2009 and since then Petra, husband Tommy (the big boss) and their families and friends have strived to help other families know that gift of dignity in their own hour of need but of course all of us sadly know what it is like to lose someone we care about to a terminal illness.

Just £20 ‘buys’ one hour of high quality, hands on nursing care for individuals with a range of terminal conditions, including cancer, at home or in one of the UK’s nine hospices. We have two here in Scotland, in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

To date they’ve raised over £500,000 with events including hiking the West Highland Way, climbing Ben Nevis and by taking part in mammoth cycle challenges in Asia, Central America and the exotic Perthshire hills.

Of course, it was Petra’s gruelling trek to Kilimanjaro in 2016 that pricked up our ears to the possibility of bigger and tougher challenges and, it would seem, Everest it is!

Granted we’ve not strayed far beyond the Ochils but, perhaps naively, we reckon with a little training we could be a bit Ben Fogle and make it up that big bad beastie in Nepal! (Perhaps I’m underestimating this…). Thankfully Petra is keeping us right.

When the going gets tough though we’ll be drawing on the love and support of our families and friends at home. Andy may be particularly wobbly since he’ll be leaving behind his new baby, toddler son Rory and wife Fiona. Petra and I will just be glad to get away from Tommy for two weeks! :)

We know that times are tough but we hope you might be inspired by us - three ordinary folks trying to do something extraordinary - to help others less fortunate than ourselves.

Our Marie Curie nurses do an extraordinary job, please donate what you can to help them keep going.

Team Alchemy - Ryan, Andy and Petra.