61-year-old Simon Knighton from Marlborough, Wiltshire, will scale Mount Everest in April 2011 with the aim of raising £100,000 for the charity Age UK and local good causes.
Simon, who has held roles at a senior level for a number of UK charities and social enterprises, will be taking a three month career break to achieve his ambition to be the second British man over the age of 60 to successfully summit Mount Everest. By taking on the challenge, he hopes to show that everyone has the potential to do something incredible, whatever their age.
Simon said: “I’m by no means a professional mountaineer, and climbing Mount Everest will be the greatest challenge of my life. I’ve been training for the climb for a year and whilst I feel confident I can tackle Everest, I know that luck will have a significant part to play in my success.
Simon, whose first grandchild is due whilst he will be tackling the climb, is anticipating that the separation from his family for over two months will be one of the most challenging aspects of the experience. However, he is determined to make the most of the opportunity by raising vital funds for Age UK and local charities.
Simon added: “I’m dedicating the expedition to Age UK and local charitable organisations as I feel that we should all have access to health and wellbeing services in later life. I’m also hoping my experience will inspire others to set themselves a personal challenge and do something extraordinary for charity.”
Simon is calling on people and local organisations in his community to follow in his footsteps and challenge themselves to do something remarkable for Age UK and local good causes by getting involved in the ‘my Everest’ initiative. People can sign up today and challenge themselves to do anything, from losing weight or running a mile to learning how to dance – all for the benefit of the community.
To find out more about ‘my Everest’ in Wiltshire, please visit www.myeverest.org.uk
To donate to Simon’s Mount Everest climb, please visit http://www.justgiving.com/simon-knighton.
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