Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

As many of you will know, my love of the mountains stems back to my very first foray abroad... to Switzerland at the age of three, my long term travelling companion 'Yellow Bear' from Bern, gifted on that first trip is testament to that, not to mention the various pairs of skis and boots filling up the loft !!

Covid allowing I now plan to head to the Himalaya, not to the top, 'yet', but to trek to Everest Base Camp, to wonder in awe at the majesty of the mightiest peaks ... taking a leaf from Nirmal Purja's mind-blowing 14 Peaks, watch it on Netflix, perhaps this the first of Ian's 14 Basecamps !

The last couple of years have been tough for us all, but as some of you will know, this trek and destination is going to be huge for me ! The trek from Lukla (9,200 feet) to Mount Everest Base Camp (17,500 feet) is approximately 38.5 miles (62 kilometers) one-way, and I'd love if I can, to use it to help others too, in particular the younger generation, for whom growing up has never been easy, but I can't begin to imagine just how tough it is today with the added pressures of social media, Covid to name but two.

Close to my heart, Time to Talk West Berkshire is an independent, not for profit charity, promoting the mental health and emotional wellbeing of young people aged 11-25 in West Berkshire - demand for their services continues to increase, pressure on waiting lists piling up, but through around 30 voluntary counsellors, they support over 500 young people year on year with thousands of invaluable sessions. 

I'm not the first, sorry ! and won't be the last, but if I can please ask, if you are able, to donate in support of Time to Talk, and West Berkshire's Gen Z, I, and many others who your generosity will touch, will be forever grateful ... thank you !

... and in case you were wondering, we do trek back to Lukla, no easy helicopter return !!